But what should we do about our cats and dogs? Since the pandemic began, a handful of pets in Hong Kong, Belgium, and New York State — as well as eight lions and tigers at the Bronx Zoo in New York City — have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Most recently, a pug in North Carolina made headlines when it tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to an article published April 29 by WRAL.com. The pug belongs to a family that was taking part in a Duke University study in which the parents (both doctors) and son all tested positive for the coronavirus. One daughter, another dog, and a cat also live in the household and didn’t test positive for COVID-19. The pug experienced mild symptoms like coughing and sneezing and didn’t want to eat his breakfast but seemed to recover after a few days, according to the family. All of this may have you wondering about the risks of human-to-animal and animal-to-human transmission. Read on to find out what precautions experts recommend to keep you and your pets healthy. RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Coronavirus
Should I Be Worried That My Pet Could Get the Coronavirus? Would It Have Symptoms?
According to the World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE), the pets who tested positive for the coronavirus became infected through close contact with caregivers who had COVID-19. The OIE considers these to be isolated cases. “Based on everything we know so far, it seems that coronavirus infections of pets are very uncommon, even though they can occur,” says Jane Sykes, PhD, a professor at the University of California in Davis, who specializes in infectious diseases of dogs and cats. “We know that cats and dogs can be infected without showing signs, and it seems that sometimes infections may be associated with mild respiratory signs such as cough, increased respiratory rate, or gastrointestinal signs like decreased appetite or diarrhea,” she says. If your pet develops new signs of respiratory or gastrointestinal illness, it’s much more likely to be a dog or cat disease that is not COVID-19, according to Dr. Sykes. “However, if you or someone in your household was recently diagnosed or suspected to have COVID-19, there is a chance that your pet could also have the disease if it develops similar signs within a few weeks of your diagnosis,” says Sykes.
Can a Pet Infected With the Coronavirus Pass It On to People?
The OIE and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stress that there is currently no evidence that pets can spread the coronavirus to people. Consider the case of the first pet that tested positive for the coronavirus, a dog in Hong Hong, a situation detailed in a March 4 press release. According to the Hong Kong authorities, the infected dog appeared to be shedding low levels of the virus. While that might seem to pose a risk of transmission to humans, “it is unusual for coronaviruses to jump species in this way,” Sykes says. “Public health and infectious disease authorities agree that transmission of COVID-19 relies on person-to-person interactions,” Sykes says. “Even though we know dogs and cats can get infected, they may not be able to shed enough virus, or shed in a way that promotes transmission to people.” Still, people who must interact with pets from households known to have COVID-19 should take precautions, Sykes says. RELATED: 12 Questions Answered on How to Handle Anxiety in the Time of COVID-19
Are Any Types of Pets More Vulnerable to the Coronavirus Than Others?
In a study published on April 8, 2020, in the journal Science, researchers in China who deliberately exposed a small number of animals to high levels of SARS-CoV-2 concluded that cats were more susceptible to the virus and COVID-19 than other species under investigation. The researchers found that ferrets were as likely to become infected by the virus as cats, but were less vulnerable to COVID-19, and that dogs were less affected than either cats or ferrets. “In my own opinion, we still don’t have enough information to say whether cats or dogs are more susceptible to the virus. There’s been too few animals out there ‘in the real world’ to say, and although experimental infections performed in China suggested that cats and ferrets were more susceptible than dogs, there were very few animals in that study of limited breed and age,” says Sykes. The findings of that study may not translate well to the real world, she adds. The OIE emphasizes that there is no evidence in real-world settings that pet transmission plays any role in the current pandemic. RELATED: 10 Misconceptions About the Coronavirus
Should My Pet Wear a Face Mask When We Go Outside?
The CDC recommends that people wear cloth face coverings in public places where social distancing isn’t possible, especially in COVID-19 hotspots. The purpose is not so much to protect the person wearing the covering as it is to prevent an infected person (including those who are asymptomatic) from transmitting the virus to others through respiratory droplets emitted while talking, coughing, or sneezing. But this recommendation to wear face coverings does not apply to dogs or cats, says Sykes. “There is no evidence that pets can spread SARS-CoV-2, and these masks are typically ill-fitting and not tolerated well by pets,” she says.
What Should I Do to Keep My Pet Safe?
Research on transmission involving animals is just beginning, but until scientists know more, the CDC recommends the following precautions to keep dogs and cats safe:
Don’t let pets interact with people or animals outside the household.Keep cats indoors to ensure they don’t interact with other animals or people.Walk dogs on a leash, keeping them at least six feet away from other animals or people.Stay away from dog parks or other public places where groups of people and animals gather.
During the pandemic, always walk your dog on a short leash, and do not allow others to approach and pet your dog, mostly because close proximity increases the risk of human-to-human transmission, adds Sykes. The OIE also recommends that animals of pet owners with COVID-19 be kept indoors as much as possible.
Can I Still Snuggle With My Pet if I Get Sick?
If you have COVID-19, or are suspected to have it, you should wear a mask and minimize interactions with your pet, says Sykes. She also recommends that you quarantine your pet in the household with you. “Someone else in the household should ideally take care of your pet, and they should wear a mask and eye protection when they need to take care of the animal, just to be on the safe side. And you should not share food or utensils with your pet or allow it to sleep in the bed with you,” she says. You should also practice frequent hand hygiene, she adds. “If you don’t have COVID-19, then you can interact with your pet normally and enjoy all the benefits of the human-animal bond,” says Sykes. No matter what, it’s always a good idea to wash your hands properly after feeding or playing with your pet. Also, as a general rule, it’s never a good idea to let your dog lick your face or any wounds you may have — and that’s especially true if you’re immunocompromised, Sykes says. Immunocompromised people should also refrain from sleeping in bed with their pets, she adds. RELATED: Playing With a Dog Helps You Feel Less Stressed
