Local cow herds free of bird flu

In veterinary school, Dr. Amber Itle learned to "look for horses, not zebras" when examining an animal.

She means "horses" are common, endemic diseases seen often in clinics, while "zebras" are one-offs, "the ones nobody is looking for."

As in bird flu, aka, "highly pathogenic avian influenza" (HPAI). As Washington's State Veterinarian, Itle and her regional veterinary staff are working to keep this "zebra" away from domestic birds, cattle and people.

The risk of HPAI transmissions increases in the fall as migratory birds return. But unlike the winter of 2022-2023, local hunters are not seeing...