COVID-19 and Your Pet — What You Need to Know
/Here are the highlights from the informative article from @drkarenbecker regarding pets and Covid-19.
According to veterinary publication dvm360, there are reports of animals being abandoned or killed because their owners fear they might harbour COVID-19. This is an absolutely unnecessary and tragic situation. The current human coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China, called COVID-19, has some pet parents worried, and others taking unnecessary and drastic measures against their animal companions.
The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is transmitted by humans to other humans — one dog living with an infected owner in Hong Kong has been placed in quarantine due to repeated “weak positive” test results. The dog has shown no clinical symptoms.
Per the OIE World Organisation for Animal Health, “There is no evidence that dogs play a role in the spread of this human disease or that they become sick. Further studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by COVID-19 virus.”
There’s no need for pet parents to avoid or abandon animal companions. If no one in your home has the virus, as always, wash your hands after handling your pets and include them in your emergency preparedness planning.
If someone in your household is diagnosed with COVID-19, it’s wise to limit interactions with pets along with other human family members.
As always, it’s a good idea to wash your hands after being around animals. Animal owners should continue to include pets and other animals in their emergency preparedness planning, including keeping a two-week supply of food and medications on hand.
