Note: Every pet owner has to make their own decision about what to do regarding the potential of avian flu in their pet’s food. The intention of this post is to provide information for pet owners to make informed decisions.
We have learned that the FDA recently provided an update to pet food industry stakeholder groups regarding avian flu. While AssociationforTruthinPetFood.com is an official pet food stakeholder group representing the largest stakeholder of pet food (pet owners), we were NOT invited to this update. We have requested an update for pet food consumers, however we are not confident the agency can or will provide that.
We do not know all the details of the meeting, what we do know is that FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine appears to be concerned about a rise in Avian Flu cases in pets. We know they have ONLY tested raw pet food for confirmation of active virus, however their concern appears NOT to be limited to raw pet food. We know the FDA does not have a laboratory to test pet foods for avian flu, the agency is relying on the USDA laboratory (National Veterinary Services Lab). The FDA is doing minimal testing of pet foods, only testing raw pet foods that have been linked to a sick or dead pet. The agency is NOT performing any surveillance testing (monitoring the pet food industry).
We know that the only test currently available for avian flu – the only test that confirms or denies a live virus – is virus isolation. We know that virus isolation testing is a challenge for pet food because of multiple ingredients involved. Virus isolation testing was developed to only test single ingredient products – such as meat or milk. Ingredients in pet foods – such as vitamins, minerals, salts – could cause a false negative test result. The FDA is not confident that the existing virus isolation testing accurately confirms or denies a live virus in pet food, due to the numerous ingredients involved.
The FDA is using whole genome sequencing to compare a positive avian flu test in a pet to the same genome in a pet food. Because the current virus isolation testing is not reliable (due to the multiple ingredients in a pet food), the agency is comparing the whole genome sequencing of an unopened pet food and the genome found in the pet to determine if a recall needs to occur.
The FDA is telling pet food manufacturers they hold the responsibility to prevent a live virus in their products, but the agency admitted they do not know how to do that yet – other than heat treatment (cooking). FDA has suggested to pet food manufacturers to hold a sample of each lot of poultry ingredients they receive. These samples would be easier to test (single ingredient) in the future should a complaint/report of an avian flu sick pet be received. FDA also suggests manufacturers monitor which parts of the country are experiencing avian flu outbreaks, and to source their ingredients outside of these areas (which is close to impossible for any manufacturer to do).
At this point in time – FDA cannot confirm that HPP kills the virus, FDA cannot confirm that freeze drying kills the virus. Further testing needs to be done to assure one or both of these processes actually kills the virus.
End of what we have learned regarding the FDA meeting with industry.
The USDA is monitoring outbreaks of avian flu in poultry, cattle, wild birds, and mammals. This USDA webpage allows anyone to view statistics and maps of avian flu outbreaks. The page appears to be updated every two weeks.
The most current map of confirmed cases of avian flu in mammals is below (May 2022 thru March 25, 2025):
The black squares on the map are domestic cats that have been confirmed to have avian flu.
The first confirmed case of avian flu in a domestic cat was in December 2022. Since that time, authorities have confirmed 126 cases through 3/25/25.
It’s time to pay attention (NOT panic).
Because the FDA has not properly prepared for avian flu being linked to pet food, they are currently playing catch-up (and playing catch-up with staff cuts). Pet owners are left to fend for themselves, based on NO information provided to us by FDA.
We know that cats are the most susceptible to illness with avian flu, and we know that cats can survive the illness. We know that dogs can acquire avian flu however they do not show signs of illness.
We know that even though confirmed cases are rising, only 126 domestic cats have been diagnosed since December 2022 out of 80 million cats in the US.
We do NOT know if the 126 confirmed cases from USDA data is accurate, or if there are more unreported cases – or how many.
We believe that raw pet food and/or raw milk is NOT the cause of all 126 diagnosed cats. We believe that other styles of pet food – including kibble – has the potential to spread the virus. We believe FDA is aware of this potential, otherwise their update meeting would have ONLY included the raw pet food industry (instead FDA invited the kibble industry, the rendering industry, and the raw industry).
What you can do:
Pet owners deserve some answers from FDA in order to protect our cats. We ask all pet owners to write FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and request pet owners be provided with an update just as industry has been provided. Email: AskCVM@fda.hhs.gov.
Whether the ‘what we need to know’ news is concerning or not concerning at all – we STILL NEED TO KNOW.
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Robert
March 27, 2025 at 4:02 pm
It still has the smell of a dead fish lingering in the hot summer sun for a week.
There is too much we are not told.
Are animals dying from bird flu or with bird flu?
How are they testing? Are they using the infamous PCR test?
Why is a very small number of dead pets turned into panic? A very long and sad record of pets killed by contaminated commercial food, treats or pesticides to kill fleas is swept under the rug and kept there.
If a flu virus suddenly turns from air-borne to food borne, why are we not warned about our food and the risk of being killed by a human flu virus that made it into our human food supply?
We can’t control what those in power do or don’t do. We can control how we react. Panic is never a good choice. We can’t be gullible either. We can’t say: they always lie to us – but this time is different, they are telling us the truth.
Susan Thixton
March 27, 2025 at 4:41 pm
I’m not sure I understand your statement “they are telling us the truth”. If you mean FDA, they aren’t telling us anything at this point (although they have told industry).