Can Your Pets Be Infected By COVID-19?

If you have a cat, dog, or another pet as a companion, you may be worried about how the recent COVID-19 pandemic will affect your furry little loved ones. You may even hear stories on social media of pets testing positive from coronavirus.

With so much panic, misinformation, and photos of dogs wearing face masks going viral, a lot of people are asking, “Can my pet get sick from COVID-19?”

Can My Pet Contract COVID-19?

While dogs and cats can contract certain types of respiratory coronaviruses, the novel coronavirus, aka COVID-19, is not believed to be a health threat to pets.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no evidence to suggest that a dog, cat, or any other pet might get infected by COVID-19. The virus mainly spreads from person to person, through droplets produced whenever an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks.

Can My Pet Spread COVID-19?

There have been instances where coronaviruses that infect animals have jumped to humans and spread between people, but these are very rare cases. 

SARS and MERS, for example, are diseases caused by coronaviruses that came from animals. COVID-19 is also widely suspected to have originated from a live animal market, although the information has not yet been verified.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that while this recent strain of coronavirus might have originated from animals, and is now spreading from one person to another, there is no reason to think that pets can be a source of the COVID-19 infection.

The report of two dogs in Hong Kong who tested positive for the virus, whose owners also tested positive for COVID-19, quickly went viral. It was characterized by officials as a likely case of human-to-animal transmission, though. Hong Kong officials later announced that the two dogs that tested positive were the only confirmed cases so far.

How to Stay Healthy With Your Pet

Although there is no evidence to suggest that animals (including pets) are a source of COVID-19 infection, the CDC does recommend practising healthy habits around animals. 

Some of these practices include:

• Washing hands after handling animals, their food, and waste
• Practising good pet hygiene and cleaning up after pets properly
• Taking pets to regular checkups with a veterinarian
• Talking with your veterinarian on questions regarding your pet’s health.

What If I Get Sick With COVID-19?

If you are suspected of or confirmed to have COVID-19, the CDC advises restricting contact with people and animals. 

While there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming ill with COVID-19, it is still recommended for people who tested positive for the virus to limit their contact with animals until more information is known about the transmission of COVID-19. It will ensure that you, your family, and your pets remain healthy during the outbreak.

If possible, have another family member or a friend take care of your animals while you are sick. You should also avoid contact with your pets, including petting, kissing, licking, or sharing food, or even after playing games on your computer (especially when playing 918kiss as your hands may get sweaty). 

If you must care for your pet or be around them while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with them and limit physical interactions.