Can your pets get coronavirus, and can you catch it from them?

Can my pet get the coronavirus?
Humans and animals share many diseases. And as dramatically shown by the tigers that tested positive in the Bronx Zoo, the coronavirus is one of them. As three veterinary epidemiologists who study infectious disease, we have been asked a lot questions about if and how the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 affects pets.

When talking about a virus, the words “get” or “catch” are vague. A more precise question is: Can my cat or dog become infected with SARS-CoV-2?

The answer is yes. There is evidence from real-world cases as well as laboratory experiments that both cats and dogs can become infected with coronavirus.

In Hong Kong, health officials have tested 17 dogs and eight cats living with COVID-19 patients for the coronavirus. They found evidence of the virus in two dogs: a Pomeranian and a German shepherd, though neither became sick.

None of the eight cats were infected or had been sick. However, there is a separate report of an infected cat from Hong Kong.

Another case of an infected cat was reported in Belgium. Again, the owner of the cat had COVID-19, but unlike the infected cat in Hong Kong, this one had become sick with respiratory problems as well as diarrhea and vomiting.

The final evidence comes from Wuhan, where researchers tested 102 cats and released a pre-print study of the results. Fifteen of those cats tested positive for the antibodies to the virus – meaning the cats been exposed in the past. As the researchers say in the paper, the coronavirus has “infected cat populations in Wuhan, implying that this risk could also occur at other outbreak regions.” This study tested cats from owners with COVID-19, veterinary hospitals and even some strays. Three of the infected cats were owned by COVID-19-affected patients which explains their exposure; for the other 12 it is unclear how they were infected.

Can I get the coronavirus from my cat?
While we can’t say it would be impossible to catch the coronavirus from a cat or dog, the research suggests this is extremely unlikely. There are currently no reported cases of people catching the coronavirus from animals.

The World Health Organization says that “based on current evidence, human to human transmission remains the main driver” of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that “further evidence is needed to understand if animals and pets can spread the disease.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that there is no evidence pets can spread COVID-19 to people.

While your cat can get infected, according to the science, it is extremely unlikely they could pass it to you. In fact, if your cat is infected, the chances are your cat caught the coronavirus from you.

Should I keep my cat inside or change my dog’s behavior?
Although the chances of your pet catching the coronavirus from another animal are low, if you take your dog or cat outside, have your pets follow the same rules as everyone else – keep them away from other people and animals.

If a dog approaches you, there is no need to be scared of getting sick from virus on the dog’s fur. But avoid approaching dogs on leashes – not because of the dog, but because there is usually a human on the other end.

If you become ill with COVID-19, the CDC recommends that you isolate yourself from your pets and have someone else care for them. If that isn’t possible, continue to wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.

Also remember: If your pet needs medical care, make sure you inform your veterinarian if you or a household member is ill with COVID-19. That information will allow your veterinarian to take adequate precautions.

The evidence around pets and the coronavirus is changing rapidly and our team is keeping an updated review about how cats, dogs, ferrets, other less common pets and livestock are affected by the new coronavirus. But where the science stands today, there is little to worry about with regards to your cat or dog. In rare cases, they might become infected with the virus, but the chances of them getting sick from the infection or passing it on to you or another animal are extremely low.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.