Bird Flu and Pets: What Australian Pet Owners Should Know
Why Bird Flu Is Relevant to Australian Pet Owners
Avian influenza mainly affects birds, but H5 bird flu can occasionally infect mammals, including cats and dogs. Since June 2026, H5 bird flu has been confirmed in wild birds across Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and, most recently, Tasmania. Local wild-bird-to-wild-bird spread has been confirmed in South Australia, including a mass mortality event in seabirds. There have been no detections in poultry or agricultural production systems, and no confirmed cases in Australian pets. This article offers practical guidance for all pet owners, with extra considerations for families caring for senior, medically vulnerable or palliative pets. It is not a reason to panic, but a reason to take sensible precautions.
What Is Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)?
Avian influenza viruses mainly circulate among wild birds and poultry. The strain causing international concern is H5N1, a highly pathogenic form known in Australia as "H5 bird flu." It spreads through contact with infected birds, their droppings, or contaminated environments. Most human and animal cases overseas have involved close contact with sick or dead birds. Pet owners should be aware of it, but it remains an uncommon illness in companion animals.
Can Bird Flu Spread to Dogs and Cats?
Cats and dogs can become infected after eating or interacting with infected birds or other infected animals, or through contact with contaminated environments such as bird droppings or nesting sites. Overseas, some cases have also been linked to raw pet food or unpasteurised milk. It is important to keep this in perspective: H5 infection in cats and dogs is considered infrequent internationally, and there are no confirmed cases in Australian pets to date. It is not a common pet disease, but owners should understand how exposure can happen so they can reduce the risk.
Are Cats More at Risk of Bird Flu Than Dogs?
Overseas evidence and experimental research suggest cats can be more susceptible to H5N1 disease than dogs. This is not only because cats hunt birds. Hunting and outdoor access increase opportunities for exposure, but infection has also occurred through other pathways, including contaminated raw pet food overseas. Dogs can become infected too, but clinically significant disease has been reported less often in dogs than in cats internationally. For prevention, current Australian guidance (DAFF) recommends keeping cats contained and dogs leashed around wildlife, particularly sick or dead birds, rather than allowing free roaming near affected areas.
What Are the Symptoms of Bird Flu in Cats and Dogs?
Many signs overlap between species and with other common illnesses, so a symptom checklist should never replace a veterinary assessment.
| Cats | Dogs |
|---|---|
| Fever | Fever |
| Lethargy | Lethargy |
| Reduced appetite | Reduced appetite |
| Red or inflamed eyes | Eye or nasal discharge |
| Eye or nasal discharge | Coughing or sneezing |
| Coughing or sneezing | Difficulty breathing |
| Difficulty breathing | Neurological signs (tremors, seizures, incoordination, blindness) |
| Neurological signs (tremors, seizures, incoordination, blindness) |
These symptoms are not specific to bird flu. They can also indicate many other, more common conditions. If your pet shows any of these signs, especially after possible contact with wild birds, contact your vet promptly for assessment.
Which Pets May Need Extra Care During a Bird Flu Outbreak?
Pet birds are the most directly affected, since avian influenza primarily spreads among birds. Cats with outdoor access or hunting behaviour may have more opportunities for contact with wild birds, and dogs that spend time around beaches, wetlands, parks or other wildlife areas face a similar exposure scenario. For senior, medically vulnerable and palliative pets, the priority is sensible exposure prevention and avoiding additional illness or stress on an already compromised system, not a belief that age itself makes a pet more susceptible to H5. A calm, practical approach works best for every pet in the household.
What Does Bird Flu Prevention Mean for Older or Palliative Pets?
Families caring for senior or palliative pets should aim to minimise avoidable exposure to sick or dead birds and wildlife, without unnecessarily cutting out activities that support quality of life. If your pet enjoys outdoor time, consider practical adjustments such as supervised garden time, leash walks, or simply avoiding areas where sick or dead birds have been reported. If any new or sudden symptoms appear, especially in a pet with existing complex health needs, discuss them with your regular veterinarian. An existing palliative care plan may need review if a pet becomes acutely unwell, and Horizon can help support that conversation alongside your primary vet.
7 Practical Ways to Reduce Your Pet's Risk of Bird Flu
Keep cats indoors or otherwise contained, particularly in areas with known wild bird activity.
Keep dogs on a leash near wild birds, beaches, wetlands and other wildlife areas.
Do not let pets eat or touch sick or dead birds or other animals.
Prevent wild birds from accessing your pet's food and water bowls.
If you have handled a sick or dead bird, shower and change clothes before handling your pets.
Avoid feeding raw pet food or unpasteurised milk. Overseas, some pet infections have been linked to these pathways.
Know when to contact a veterinarian for your pet, and when to report sick or dead wildlife to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline (1800 675 888).
Following these steps consistently is the most effective way to protect your pet, whatever their age or health status.
Can Raw Food Increase the Risk of Bird Flu?
Some overseas H5N1 infections in cats have been linked to commercially produced raw pet food and unpasteurised milk. The Australian Government (DAFF) also lists raw pet food as a possible exposure history in overseas cat and dog cases. At the time of writing, there is no evidence that Australian commercial pet food is contaminated with H5 bird flu. As a precaution, especially while the situation in Australian wildlife continues to evolve, consider avoiding raw pet food and unpasteurised milk.
What Should I Do if My Pet Finds a Sick or Dead Bird?
Move your pet away and prevent further contact with the bird or animal.
Do not touch the bird or animal with bare hands.
Record the location and, if it is safe to do so, take a photo or video from a distance.
Report suspected bird flu, or sick and dead wildlife, to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline (1800 675 888) or via your state biosecurity agency.
If your pet becomes unwell after the interaction, keep them away from children and other animals and contact your veterinarian, mentioning the exposure.
What Should I Do if I'm Concerned About My Pet?
If your pet becomes acutely unwell after contact with wildlife, contact your regular veterinarian or an appropriate emergency veterinary service, and mention the exposure history when you call ahead. For existing Horizon clients, or families caring for a senior or palliative pet, Horizon can help review comfort, quality of life and your existing care plan where relevant. Horizon's palliative care and Telehealth services are available as next-step resources for ongoing support, alongside your primary or emergency vet, rather than as a first point of contact for suspected bird flu.
FAQs
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Yes, but it is uncommon. Cats and dogs can become infected with H5 bird flu, usually after contact with infected birds, contaminated environments, or overseas, through raw pet food. There are no confirmed cases in Australian pets to date.
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Overseas evidence suggests cats are generally more susceptible to H5N1 disease than dogs, though both species can become infected.
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Signs include fever, lethargy, reduced appetite, eye or nasal discharge, coughing, difficulty breathing and neurological signs such as tremors or seizures. These signs overlap with many other illnesses and need veterinary assessment.
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Dogs can be infected, but clinically significant disease has been reported less often in dogs than in cats overseas. Prevention around wildlife is still recommended.
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No. There is currently no registered H5 bird flu vaccine for cats or dogs in Australia.
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Yes, keeping cats contained, especially in areas with confirmed wild bird detections, is current DAFF guidance and reduces the main pathway of exposure.
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Yes, direct contact with an infected bird, or its droppings or environment, is the main way pets become exposed.
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There is no evidence of established pet-to-pet transmission at this time. Most reported cases relate to direct exposure to birds or contaminated environments.
