Can your pet dog get Covid19 coronavirus from other dogs or from humans?
We are going through a Covid19 epidemic. There is no information. There is no evidence. It may! It may not! Be extremely careful while handling your dog. Exercise hygiene. And if your dog is sick, consult a vet immediately.
Do not feed anything raw. Cook all foods. And let them keep a safe distance from other dogs and humans.
Coronavirus vaccines are administered to many animals, pets and dogs since a long time. Your dogs might be vaccinated for coronavirus – and this might confuse you – Is there a coronavirus vaccine already?
There is a Canine Coronavirus vaccine and your dog must have already been vaccinated as a puppy. However, the Covid19 is different and there is no vaccine yet for Covid19.
Photo: Canine Coronavirus Vaccine
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people, and others, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, only infect animals. Rarely, animal coronaviruses that infect animals have emerged to infect people and can spread between people. This is suspected to have occurred for the virus that causes COVID-19. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) are two other examples of coronaviruses that originated from animals and then spread to people.
Can you get covid19 coronavirus from your pet dog?
You will learn from many resources – There is no evidence that suggests you can get covid19 from your dog or other pets or animals. However, there is no evidence you cant either! Prevention is better than cure. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Staying away from your pet for a few days wont harm you! Live and let live. Buy a mask for them, just in case.. people may call you stupid, but even if a mask is not useful, it definately wont hurt!
Some more info. on Coronavirus, Covid19, Covid19 and pets/dogs/animals. Information which can be useful for pet owners:
Health officials across the U.S. and all over the world are on high alert due to COVID-19 coronavirus, a disease that causes flu-like symptoms in people, including mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Veterinary professionals are receiving questions from their clients and their teams, and K9RL is pleased to be able to provide credible information and resources to assist with responses to those questions. To ensure the resources we provide you are as accurate and up-to-date as possible in this continuously evolving environment.
Here’s some key information about COVID-19 coronavirus:
The betacoronavirus that causes COVID-19 is SARS-CoV-2 (formerly 2019-nCoV).
Person-to-person spread has been reported in numerous countries, including the United States. Some popular international destinations, including the United States, also appear to have community spread.
Transmission seems to occur when there is contact with an infected person’s bodily secretions, such as saliva or mucus droplets in a cough or sneeze.
There are currently no antiviral drugs recommended or licensed by FDA to treat COVID-19, and there is no immunization available.
For most people in the United States, the immediate risk of being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 is believed to be low, but the CDC considers the virus a very serious public health threat.
The best way to avoid becoming ill is to avoid exposure to the virus. Taking typical preventive actions is key.
Infectious disease experts and multiple international and domestic human and animal health organizations agree there is no evidence at this point to indicate that pets become ill with COVID-19 or that they spread it to other animals, including people.
Out of an abundance of caution, it is recommended that those ill with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus. Have another member of your household take care of walking, feeding, and playing with your pet. If you have a service animal or you must care for your pet, then wear a facemask; don’t share food, kiss, or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with them.
As always, careful handwashing and other infection control practices can greatly reduce the chance of spreading any disease. The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians’ (NASPHV) compendium of standard precautions is a good reference for appropriate infection control in veterinary practices.
COVID-19 origin and spread
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has health officials all over the world on high alert after first being detected in China and now spreading to more than 100 locations internationally, including the United States. Helpful information providing a real-time look at case counts globally is available from the John Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
The betacoronavirus that causes COVID-19 is SARS-CoV-2. Like MERS-CoV (the cause of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS-CoV (the cause of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), SARS-CoV-2 appears to have its origin in bats. Sequenced virus obtained from US patients is similar to that found in China originally, which suggests a single, recent emergence of this virus from an animal reservoir. Patients at the initial epicenter of the outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China had a link to a large seafood and live animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread. Person-to-person spread within Wuhan was next reported, followed by person-to-person spread outside of Hubei Province and in countries outside of China, including the U.S. Some popular international destinations, including the United States, now appear to have community spread.
COVID-19 in humans – info. for pet owners
COVID-19 causes flu-like symptoms in people, including mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Person-to-person spread has been indicated in numerous countries, including the United States. Time between infection and appearance of symptoms in people is not yet known with confidence, but initial estimates are approximately five to seven days. The COVID-19 quarantine period for people is 14 days.
For most people in the United States, the immediate risk of being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 is believed to be low. People living in or traveling from places where ongoing community spread of SARS-CoV-2 is taking place appear to be at higher risk of exposure, with relative risk dependent on the location. Healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 also have greater risk, as do close contacts of people with COVID-19.
There are currently no antiviral drugs recommended or licensed by FDA to treat COVID-19, and there is no immunization available.
Awareness and prevention are important to reducing the spread of COVID-19:
Avoid people who are sick.
Call your physician if you experience a fever and respiratory issues.
If you are ill, stay at home except to get medical care and call ahead before visiting your doctor. Minimize your contact with other people, including separating yourself from other members of your household who are not ill.
Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Wash your hands often. Use soap and water, and wash for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Regularly clean and disinfect objects and surfaces in your home and workplace. A list of products determined by the EPA to be effective for combatting viral pathogens is available from the American Chemistry Council Center for Biocide Chemistries (CBC).
Those living in households with a person ill with COVID-19 should closely monitor their health and call their healthcare provider right away of they develop symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.
The use of facemasks is not recommended for healthy members of the general public as a means of protection from COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people with symptoms of COVID-19 to avoid spreading the disease to others and facemasks are also important for healthcare workers and people who are taking care of someone at home or in a healthcare facility.
SARS-CoV-2 and domestic animals, including pet dogs, wild dogs, stray dogs and animals in general
On Thursday, February 27, Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department (AFCD) reported that samples obtained on February 26 from the nasal and oral cavities of a pet dog (a 17-year-old Pomeranian whose owner had been diagnosed with COVID-19) had tested “weak positive” for SARS-CoV-2, using a real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) test. A fecal sample was negative. Testing was repeated on February 28 and March 2 with continued “weak positive” results (nasal and oral sample, nasal sample, respectively). The RT PCR test is sensitive, specific, and does not cross-react with other coronaviruses of dogs or cats. A “weak positive” result suggests a small quantity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was present in the samples, but doesn’t distinguish between RNA detected from intact virus and fragments of RNA. The RT PCR testing was conducted by the laboratories of the AFCD and the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong. The latter is an accredited reference laboratory for the WHO for the testing of SARS-COV-2. Testing from both laboratories yielded the same results.
Experts from the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences of the City University of Hong Kong, and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) believe the consistency and persistence of the results suggest the pet dog may have a low-level of infection with the virus. While officials have said this may be a case of human-to-animal transmission, this is still speculative and further testing is being conducted.
This pet dog is one of two pet dogs currently under quarantine in separate rooms in a facility at the Hong Kong Port of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge; the second pet dog has had negative results of tests for the virus.
The pet dogs are being cared for and neither has shown any signs of being ill with COVID-19. Furthermore, infectious disease experts and multiple international and domestic human and animal health organizations (CDC, OIE, WHO) agree there is no evidence at this point to indicate that pets can spread COVID-19 to other animals, including people.
Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals (other than source bats) becoming sick with COVID-19, out of an abundance of caution. If you are ill with COVID-19, be sure to tell your physician and public health official that you have a pet or other animal in your home. Have another member of your household take care of walking, feeding, and playing with your pet. If you have a service animal or you must care for your pet, then wear a facemask; don’t share food, kiss, or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with your pet or service animal. You should not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home. Additional guidance on managing pets in homes where people are sick with COVID-19 is available from the CDC.
For responsible pet owners, preparing in advance is key. Make sure you have an emergency kit prepared, with at least two weeks’ worth of your pet’s food and any needed medications. Usually we think about emergency kits like this in terms of what might be needed for an evacuation, but it’s also good to have one prepared in the case of quarantine or self-isolation when you cannot leave your home.
COVID19 Coronavirus in pets, dogs and other animals. Important Note:
While we are recommending these as good practices, it is important to remember there is currently no evidence that pets can or cannot spread COVID-19 to other animals, including people. Please consult yhour VET immediately if you feel your pet dog is sick.
One thought on “Covid19 Coronavirus and pets – dogs and animals”
In this sensitive time, protect yourself from catching the virus by frequently washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time. Mainten a distance between yourself, your pets and other animals/people.
Also, cigarette smoke is full of carbon monoxide, as is wood-burning heaters.
Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the body’s organs and tissues.
Don’t put yourself at risk, don’t burn wood fires and don’t smoke. They could contribute to further complications if you contract COVID-19.
In this sensitive time, protect yourself from catching the virus by frequently washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time. Mainten a distance between yourself, your pets and other animals/people.
Also, cigarette smoke is full of carbon monoxide, as is wood-burning heaters.
Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the body’s organs and tissues.
Don’t put yourself at risk, don’t burn wood fires and don’t smoke. They could contribute to further complications if you contract COVID-19.