Can Pets catch Covid-19?
- Sarah Masih
- Feb 8, 2021
- 2 min read
Welcome back to yet another aspect of COVID that maybe people either don’t think about or don’t know about. This time we’re going to be talking about *drumroll* PETS!!
Now we all have our beloved furry friends (or desperately want one!) If you remember, at the beginning of the pandemic (way back then) many people were giving away their pets to shelters.
Why would you want to part with your best animal friend?
Well turns out, even though coronaviruses transmit from person to person, it can also transmit between person and animal. However, with COVID-19, the risk of the animal to person transmission is quite low.
What about a person to an animal?
Sadly, it is people for a person to transmit the virus to an animal after close contact with someone infected. A small number of pets were allegedly infected with SARS-CoV-2 in several countries. Most of these pets became sick after contact with people with COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus made numerous animals sick including several lions and tigers in New York, a puma in South African, a tiger in Tennessee, snow leopards in Kentucky, and gorillas in California. Even though the employees around these animals had been following precautions for COVID.
As scientists are starting to figure out how COVID affects animals, many studies are also being done to learn how the virus can affect animals. Recent findings show that cats, dogs, ferrets, hamsters can become infected. Cats, ferrets, fruit bats, and hamsters can also pass on the virus to other animals of the same species in a laboratory setting. Dogs can contract the virus, but not spread it on at least not as easily as cats. Lab mice, pigs, chickens, and ducks seem to be immune to both contracting and spreading the virus.
Note: As with all COVID related research, this information is to be taken with a grain of salt. The aforementioned research was based on a limited test group. There is much to be researched.
All in all, there is a chance that your precious pet contracts the virus, and depending on the animal it is, it may be able to spread it. To limit the spread, it is of utmost importance to limit the outside interaction of your pet.
Take care! Of yourself and your cuddly companion.
Love,
Sarah
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