The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined it is necessary for cat and dog food manufacturers covered by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PCAF) rule and using uncooked or unpasteurized materials derived from poultry or cattle (e.g., uncooked meat, unpasteurized milk or unpasteurized eggs) to reanalyze their food safety plans to include Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus (specifically H5N1) as a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard. This is being done to ensure manufacturers are informed about the new H5N1 hazard related to their pet food products, providing an additional reason for them to reanalyze their food safety plans.
The FDA is tracking cases of H5N1 in domestic and wild cats in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington State associated with eating contaminated food products. Scientific information is evolving, but at this time it is known that H5N1 can be transmitted to cats and dogs when they eat products from infected poultry or cattle that have not undergone a processing step capable of inactivating the virus, such as pasteurizing, cooking or canning. Cats in particular can experience severe illness or death from infection with H5N1. Dogs can also contract H5N1, although they usually exhibit mild clinical signs and low mortality compared to cats. At present, H5N1 has not been detected in dogs in the United States, but there have been fatal cases in other countries.
According to FDA: “The reanalysis is necessary to respond to the recent domestic cat illnesses and deaths … and to scientific data indicating that cats and dogs have become ill from consuming H5N1 virus. Manufacturers that implement a preventive control for the H5N1 hazard as a result of their reanalysis will be taking an important step toward protecting cat and dog health and helping to prevent spread of H5N1. Addressing H5N1 will require a concerted effort across sectors, including by government, businesses, and consumers.”
Manufacturers also are required to conduct a reanalysis of their food safety plans when they become aware of new information about potential hazards associated with animal food. The FDA and the American Veterinary Medical AssociationExternal Link Disclaimer have previously published information on risks to pets from H5N1, which has been amplified in mainstream media.
Click here to read the full FDA alert, including resources to assist manufacturers as they reanalyze their food safety plan.