Last updated on November 11th, 2024 at 04:43 pm
At a veterinary clinic in the United Kingdom, the staff noticed a sudden and atypical increase in cats and dogs experiencing dog infection symptoms like myocarditis and inflammation of the heart muscle.
Was it a coincidence that these animals were showing up severely ill from a condition that has been linked to COVID-19 just as the highly contagious Alpha variant was circulating?
COVID Variant Tied to Heart Inflammation in Cats, Dogs
The study was small but found that dogs and cats can be infected with the Alpha variant of COVID-19 (dog infection symptoms). Many of the owners of these pets had respiratory symptoms several weeks before their pets became ill and tested positive for COVID-19.
The researchers detailed the investigation into the cases of four cats and two dogs who had severe myocarditis. Two of the cats plus one dog tested positive for the coronavirus on a PCR test. In contrast, two other cats and a second dog tested positive for antibodies two to six weeks after they developed signs of cardiac disease.
First Covid UK case in pet dog confirmed by a top vet
In November 2021, officials confirmed that A dog tested positive for COVID-19 – the first documented case of its kind in the UK.
They believe the pet, recovering at home, caught it from its owner.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says cases like this are sporadic, and there is no substantial evidence to suggest that dogs, cats, or other pets are passing the virus to humans.
However, owners and people who work with animals should wash their hands regularly for good hygiene.
The advice states that animal fur can act as a carrier for the COVID-19 virus for short periods of time, in the same way as other surfaces, such as door handles.
Do not share food, food bowls, or utensils with your pet.
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, said: “The infected dog was undergoing treatment for another unrelated condition and is now recovering.
“It is sporadic for dogs to be infected, and they will usually only show mild clinical signs and recover within a few days.
“No clear evidence suggests that pets directly transmit the virus to humans. We will continue monitoring this situation closely and update our guidance to pet owners should the situation change.”
Israeli helps train dogs to sniff out coronavirus.
A team of researchers in Hawaii, including an Israeli, have recently completed a Phase III study on using dogs to sniff out coronavirus and prevent its spread.
The results of the Assistance Dogs of Hawaii (ADH) study, which are expected to be submitted for peer review as early as this week, show that the dogs are almost 100% accurate at the task.
ADH has been teaching four dogs—three Labrador retrievers named Sadie, Tess, and Yuki and a Golden retriever named Samson—to detect people infected with coronavirus. Ten dogs tried out for the program, but only these dogs cut.
Can animals be infected with Covid (SARS-CoV-2)?
Several animal species have demonstrated susceptibility to the virus through experimental infection and in natural settings when in contact with infected humans. There is also evidence that infected animals can transmit the virus to other animals in natural settings through contacts, such as mink-to-mink transmission and mink-to-cat transmission. Infection of animals with SARS-CoV-2 has implications for animal and human health, animal welfare, wildlife conservation, and biomedical research.
However, not all species appear to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. To date, findings from experimental infection studies show that poultry and cattle are not vulnerable to infection.
What are the implications of animal infections with COVID-19?
Although several animal species have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, these infections are not the driver of the current COVID-19 pandemic, which is human-to-human transmission.
However, there are valid concerns about establishing SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs in wild or domestic animals, which could pose a continued public health risk and lead to future spillover events to humans. Consequently, susceptible animal populations in close contact with humans should be closely monitored.
The introduction of the virus to a new animal species might accelerate its evolution, potentially impacting surveillance and control strategies. Additionally, the introduction of the virus to susceptible endangered animal populations might undermine conservation efforts, leading to biodiversity loss.
Further investigation is needed to understand these risks fully.
Covid-19 dog infection symptoms ( canine coronavirus symptoms)
- Fever.
- Coughing.
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
- Runny nose.
- Eye discharge.
- Vomiting.
What COVID-19 vaccines have been tested on animals
According to Lassube France, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been tested on animals and passed animal trials.
Reuters has published that “Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, which have been granted emergency authorization use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, all conducted animal trials and had no significant safety concerns to report.”
Zoetis Donates COVID-19 Vaccines to Help Support the Health of Zoo Animals
In its annual Animal Health Awards, IHS Markit Connect honored Zoetis product Librela® as the Best New Companion Animal Product for 2021. The award is given to a commercially launched product or completed its first full year of sales in 2021. This is the second consecutive year that a Zoetis product has won this category, with Simparica Trio® taking the prize last year.
Launched in the European Union, United Kingdom, and Switzerland in 2021, Librela (bedinvetmab) represents a new era in pain management. It is the first monoclonal antibody approved to alleviate osteoarthritis (OA) pain in dogs.
Zoetis is donating more than 11,000 doses of its experimental COVID vaccine to help protect the health and well-being of more than 100 mammalian species living in nearly 70 zoos, as well as more than a dozen conservatories, sanctuaries, academic institutions, and government organizations located in 27 states.
The vaccine has been authorized for experimental use case-by-case by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the appropriate state veterinarians. The vaccine deployment to dozens of zoos follows Zoetis’ response in January to a request from the San Diego Zoo following confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the gorillas at the San Diego Safari Park.
FASTest CCoV Strip – Canine Coronavirus
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Test applicable to Dog
Sample: FaecesFASTest Canine Coronavirus (CCoV) Strip is a rapid immunochromatographic test for detecting the Canine Coronavirus Antigen in dog feces. FASTest Canine Coronavirus (CCoV) detects antigens in canine feces simply and quickly in the clinic.
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Using the FASTest CCoV Strip test kit enables the veterinarian to determine the specific agent responsible for diarrhea, estimate the prognosis for a single CCoV or a simultaneous infection with CPV and CCoV, and distinguish between CCoV-infected and non-infected puppies in kennels.
January 2021- dog infection symptoms:
At least two gorillas at the San Diego Zoo have tested positive for COVID-19, the zoo has announced. They aren’t the first animals to contract the coronavirus in this pandemic and probably won’t be the last.
Which animals can get canine coronavirus symptoms?
Besides the gorillas, some tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID in April. Studies conducted by veterinarians have been on cats and dogs who picked up the coronavirus from their human families. And perhaps most concerning, there have been outbreaks of mink at fur farms in multiple countries.
Scientists aren’t surprised that the coronavirus can sometimes jump species; other (non-pandemic) coronaviruses have been known to infect dogs and other animals.
Can animals give the coronavirus to humans?
Not usually. The dogs, cats, and zoo animals with COVID seem to have picked it up from people, not vice versa.
But the mink is different. Mink in European fur farms caught the coronavirus, passed it to each other, and were able to infect humans. The Danish government, noting that mutations traced to mink were present in at least a dozen human cases of COVID, ordered that all farmed mink in the country be killed.
What happens when an animal gets the coronavirus?
Some animals that tested positive for COVID-19 exhibited respiratory symptoms, like coughing and shortness of breath.
If your pet seems to be sick, consult a veterinarian for advice. Since COVID cases in animals are rare, they may not necessarily recommend a COVID test, but they can provide appropriate care and guidance depending on your pet’s symptoms.
What should I do if I have a pet ( dog infection symptoms)?
“Treat pets as you would other human family members,” the CDC advises. This means keeping them away from other people and pets that don’t live in your household. This includes keeping cats indoors and walking dogs on a leash to ensure they’re not interacting with others when they’re out of sight.
The CDC and the American Veterinary Medical Association agree that pets don’t commonly get the coronavirus; it’s possible, they say, but rare.
If you or someone in your home is sick, keep the pet away from that person. This may mean asking someone else to feed your pet, for example. If you cannot avoid contact with your pet, the AVMA recommends wearing a mask, washing your hands before and after touching them, and not sharing food, kissing, or hugging your pet—for their safety.
Source:
https://www.oie.int/en/what-we-offer/emergency-and-resilience/covid-19/#ui-id-2
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/pets.html
https://lifehacker.com/animals-can-get-covid-19-too-1846045708
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59246304
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/a-nose-for-covid-israeli-helps-train-dogs-to-sniff-out-coronavirus-671458
Important to know! Thank you!
Good !
Good information! Thank you for sharing! ☺️?
The CDC recommends avoiding close contact with your pets and other animals if you are COVID-19 positive
The World Health Organization states that there is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can transmit COVID-19.
I had no idea that dogs could be affected by COVID-19. This highlights the importance of taking precautions and keeping our pets safe.
The virus that causes COVID-19 can spread from people to animals during close contact. The risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low. So, Protect pets if you are sick