Canada: Bird flu found in pet dog

A domestic dog was found to have contracted avian influenza after catching and eating a wild goose and died after showing clinical signs. The autopsy was completed on 3 April 2023 and showed damage to the respiratory system. Further testing is ongoing. This is the only such case in CANADA.

The number of documented cases of H5N1 avian influenza in non-avian species such as cats and dogs is low, despite the fact that the virus has caused major outbreaks in birds around the world over the past few years.

Based on current data in Canada, the risk to the public remains low, and current scientific evidence suggests that the risk of human exposure to avian influenza from pets is low.

In addition, no cases of human infection with avian influenza have been reported in Canada within the country. Human cases of avian influenza are rare and almost always occur through direct contact with infected birds or in highly contaminated environments. To date, there has been no evidence of sustained human-to-human spread of the virus.