Small Exotic Pet Store carrying Amphibians, Reptiles, small animals and supplies. Havre de Grace MD
03/27/2025
URGENT! PLEASE SHARE:
3/25/25 Notice from MD Department of Agriculture:
The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is issuing a warning to veterinarians and pet owners regarding a recall of Savage Cat Food, Chicken variety sold in Maryland due to potential
contamination with High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1, more commonly known as Bird Flu. For a full list of products affected, please visit Savage Cat Food’s website. If you have purchased a product involved in the recall, immediately discontinue feeding it to your pet and return the product to the retailer where it was purchased for a full refund. For questions regarding recalled products, please contact Savage Cat Food’s customer service line at 619-270-0295.
Cats are highly susceptible to HPAI, which can lead to severe illness and high mortality rates. Potential sources of exposure to HPAI for cats include raw diets, raw (unpasteurized) milk, raw or undercooked meat contaminated with the virus, infected birds or animals and contaminated environments or objects (fomites) used on affected premises.
Common symptoms of HPAI in cats include lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, and upper respiratory signs such as eye, nose and mouth discharge, sneezing, coughing and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, the virus can cause neurological symptoms, including seizures, circling, uncoordinated movement and blindness. If your cat has consumed the recalled product or has been potentially exposed to HPAI and shows any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately. Notify the clinic in advance so that the veterinary team can take precautions to reduce the risk of transmission to staff, other clients and animals.
Several confirmed cases of HPAI in cats have been reported throughout the United States, including a recent case in New Jersey confirmed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory. Additional cases have been reported in states including New York, Kansas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado, Oregon, California and Washington.
HPAI continues to present a low risk to the public and there have been no reported human or feline cases in Maryland. Furthermore, there have been no confirmed cases of human infection linked to
exposure from cats.
MDA continues to advise against feeding raw pet food or raw milk to animals. The department is actively monitoring the situation and encourages veterinarians and pet owners to report any potential cases of HPAI to the department at 410-841-5810 or via email MD.birdfl[email protected]
Dr Jennifer Trout, DVM
Maryland State Veterinarian
