Tag: COVID-19

Wilbur B. Amand, VMD, a Hershey’s Mill Resident, has been writing interesting and informative articles keeping us up to date with the most recent information on COVID-19 and Pets. This was initially distributed via email to Hersheys Mill residents on May 19th.

Wilbur B. Amand, VMD

Inverness Village

Wilbur B. Amand, VMD, a Hershey’s Mill Resident, has written an interesting and informative article up to date with the most recent information on COVID-19 and Cats. This was initially distributed via email to Hersheys Mill residents on April 13th.

 This will be particularly interesting to you if you have a Cat in your home.  
“Further studies have provided evidence that cats are very susceptible to the virus”.

In my earlier report, I noted that Hong Kong had tested 17 dogs and 8 cats from households with confirmed COVID-19 cases or persons in close contact with confirmed patients. Only two dogs had tested positive using a test for the COVID-91 virus.  The first cat to test positive to COVID-19 was reported in Belgium. The cat lived in close contact with its owner who was COVID-19 positive.  This cat started showing respiratory symptoms a week after the owner died.

Further studies have provided evidence that cats are very susceptible to the virus when researchers attempted to infect the cats by introducing viral particles via the nose. They also found that cats can infect each other via respiratory droplets. Studies with dogs showed that they were less likely to catch the virus.

Then on April 5, the Bronx Zoo reported a Malayan tiger was reported to have tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, three other tigers and three lions were showing symptoms – dry cough and a slight decrease in appetite. Public health officials believe that these cats became ill after being exposed to a zoo keeper who was actively shedding virus. All the zoo’s cats that were showing symptoms have been doing well and improving.

Despite the above experience, there is little to no evidence that pets can spread COVID-19 to people. According to a spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association, “This is almost exclusively a human-to-human transmitted disease. The risk to pets is very low, with only a handful of cases of the virus appearing in companion animals and no cases of people getting sick from their pets.”

The following are some frequently asked questions from pet owners about this new coronavirus (COVID-19):

1.     If animals (especially cats) can contract the virus, can they pass it back to people? Currently there is no evidence to suggest that pets, livestock, or zoo animals can spread the COVID-19 virus to people or other animals. However, the World Health Organization is taking a closer look at transmission of the virus between humans and animals.

2.     What should I do about my cat if I am diagnosed with COVID–19? Although it is very unlikely that you can contract COVID-19 from your pet, if YOU are infected with COVID-19 there is the risk that your pet could get the virus from you. So isolate yourself from your pet.

3.     Should my pet be practicing social/physical distancing? Yes, it is recommended that you ensure your pet practices social distancing from other people and pets.

4.     Can my pet carry the virus on their fur? Yes, according to the British Veterinary Association, cat (and dogs) can act as “fomites” – meaning the virus can linger on their fur and be transmitted through touch in the same way it can be picked up from surfaces like tables and doorknobs.

5.     Should my pet wear a mask? No. There is no good evidence that face masks protect pets from infectious diseases or air pollutants, and masks have the potential to be unnecessarily scary or uncomfortable for pets.

6.     Should we have our pets (cats/dogs) tested for COVID–19? No, Routine testing of domestic animals for COVID-19 is not being recommended by the AVMA, CDC or USDA.

7.     What should pet owners do if they think their pet has the virus? Contact your veterinary clinic if your pet shows signs of respiratory illness (coughing, sneezing, lethargy, lack of appetite, etc.) and make sure that they are prepared to treat patients that could have been exposed to COVID-19 virus. If your veterinary clinic is unable to provide the care your pet may need, ask for a referral to the nearest clinic that would be able to accept your pet.

8.     Should pet owners stop interacting with their pets? If the owner is not ill with COVID-19, you can and should interact with your pets as usual – including feeding, playing, etc. However, continue to practice good hygiene (hand washing; keeping bedding, toys, bowls, litter boxes clean; etc.).

9.     Why are animals being tested when there are not enough human COVID–19 tests? The tests differ between humans and animals. The animal tests are usually performed in a veterinary school laboratory or state agricultural laboratory and are not sent to a human testing laboratory. There is no competition for testing.

10.  Can manufactured pet food carry COVID-19 virus? There is no evidence for this. It is highly unlikely that dry or canned pet foods are potential viral vectors.

11.  What do we know about other coronaviruses in cats, dogs, and horses?

·      CATS: Feline enteric coronavirus causes a mild or asymptomatic infection in domestic cats, and most signs are gastrointestinal-related. Infections with this virus are more common in areas of higher cat numbers such as catteries, shelters, etc.

·      DOGS: Two known coronaviruses exist in dogs. One is a gastrointestinal form that ranges from asymptomatic to mild diarrhea which may become a severe inflammation of the small intestine. The second which is more commonly seen is a mild disease consisting of cough, sneezing, and nasal discharge.

Wilbur B. Amand, VMD

Inverness Village