Can the H5N1 virus affecting Asia, Europe and Africa infect pets?
The H5N1 avian influenza virus currently found in Asia, Africa and Europe has been shown to infect a number of species of domestic, wild and pet birds (i.e. chickens, turkeys, quails, guinea fowl, etc.). This virus has also been detected in mammals that may be kept as pets, including rats and mice, weasels and ferrets, pigs, cats and dogs, but the number of documented cases in these animals is very low.
