A pet dog died with avian influenza in Canada — the first case of its kind in the country — although public health officials insisted the risk to the general public remains low.. Chickens .The dog in Oshawa, ON was infected after chewing on a wild goose and died after developing clinical symptoms..A necropsy completed April 3 showed respiratory system involvement with further testing ongoing, although officials added it's currently the only case of its kind across Canada..In a joint statement, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Public Health Agency of Canada said, “The number of documented cases of avian influenza H5N1 in non-avian species — such as cats and dogs — is low, despite the fact this virus caused large avian outbreaks globally over the last few years.”.“Based on the current evidence in Canada, the risk to the general public remains low and current scientific evidence suggests that the risk of a human contracting avian influenza from a domestic pet is minor.”.“Furthermore, no domestically acquired human cases of avian influenza have been reported in Canada.”.“Cases of avian influenza among humans are rare and almost always acquired through direct contact with infected birds or exposure to heavily contaminated environments. To date, there has been no evidence of sustained person-to-person spread.”.Pet owners are advised to take “appropriate precautions,” including not feeding pets raw meat from game birds or poultry, or allowing pets to consume or play with dead wile birds found outside..“The health and safety of Canadians remains our top priority, and the Government of Canada is closely monitoring the situation,” the statement added..“We are tracking avian influenza activity in Canada and around the world, with domestic and international partners, including the World Health Organization.”.“Furthermore, the CFIA has a dedicated response team of experts that has been activated to respond to the AI outbreaks and will coordinate actions with federal, provincial and territorial partners and industry.”
