Veterinarian Q&A: COVID-19 & Your Pet
Dr. Shelly Zacharias is the Vice President of Medical Affairs at Gallant, Inc., and a practicing small animal veterinarian in Indianapolis, IN. She graduated from Oklahoma State College of Veterinary Medicine and attended Purdue University for Veterinary Practice Management. Dr. Zacharias owned and operated a small animal hospital and practiced emergency medicine prior to starting a veterinary biotech company. She has been instrumental in conducting clinical studies, manufacturing of cellular products and is an expert in the area of stem cell medicine in companion animals.
Updated May 8th, 2020
Q&A with Dr. Zacharias: COVID-19 & Your Pet
Are you unsure what the facts are surrounding COVID-19 and how it may affect your pet? Or how your pet may affect your family during this pandemic? We are all rightfully worried about our families and are trying to make sense of the daily news and guidelines in order to keep everyone safe. My family includes six dogs who are loving the extra time I am spending at home with them, but they give me a look of disbelief when I no longer allow neighbors to come over and pet them on our daily walks. As the experts continue to learn more about COVID-19, recommendations and guidelines understandably continue to evolve for us. But research and data analysis are also continuing in relation to COVID-19 and our pets during this time. If there is a silver lining in this instance, it’s that expert opinions regarding COVID-19 and our pets have remained pretty consistent so far, and it is good news all and all.
Question: Can my pet give my family COVID-19?
Answer: There is a lot of research and data-gathering being done surrounding our domestic pets (dogs and cats) and COVID-19, as of today, all organizations are in agreement that pets cannot currently infect humans. Everyone has probably heard of the few cases of dogs and cats in the U.S., and outside of the States, who tested positive and/or had mild clinical signs of COVID. In all cases, it is believed that the pets were exposed from a positive human (not the other way around). Any clinical signs exhibited by the animals were mild and all animals recovered uneventfully. There have been many reports of other dogs and cats who are also living with infected people who remain uninfected. The current bottom line, infectious disease experts, as well as human and animal health organizations, continue to agree there is no evidence that pets spread COVID-19 to people.
Question: Do I need to isolate myself from my pet?
Answer: (If you are not ill with COVID-19): You can interact with your animals as you normally would. There is no need to change feeding, play or snuggle habits! Just be sure to continue to practice good hygiene for both your and your pet’s safety. Good hygiene includes washing your hands before and after play, washing your pet’s food and water dishes regularly, cleaning your pet’s bedding, etc.
Answer: (If you are ill with symptoms of COVID-19): In the spirit of being better safe than sorry, if you are ill with COVID-19 symptoms, you should practice the same restrictions with any animals you are around that you would practice with any human. At times of feeding or caring for your pet, if possible, have another member of your household perform these tasks for you to help reduce direct contact to any animals (dogs, cats, birds…any animal until we know more about this virus). If you have a service animal or you must be the one to take care of your animal, then take the necessary precautions of wearing a cloth facemask, don’t share food, restrict snuggle time or kisses, wash their bowls and wash your hands before and after any contact with them.
Question: Are pets getting sick from COVID-19?
Answer: Some of the animals who have tested positive have also had mild respiratory clinical signs. The good news is that our cats and dogs seem to not be as seriously affected. So far, any clinical signs of COVID have been very mild and the animals recovered without any serious problems. Again, it is understood that the animals were exposed to the virus from a human. It is not thought that these animals posed a threat of infection to a human.
Question: How can I make my home as safe as possible for me and my pet?
Answer: In trying to be as safe and responsbile as possible during these times, it is important to remember that fomites (any object, such as bowls, clothing, door knobs, phones, etc) are also a cause of disease transmission. Therefore, washing your hands each time you arrive home, taking your shoes off outside, wiping everything down and cleaning is very important. When it comes to considering fomite transmission, remember smooth (non-porous) surfaces (i.e. countertops, door knobs, faucets) transmit viruses better than porous materials (i.e. paper money, pet fur). At this time, there is no evidence that the virus causing COVID-19 can spread to people from the skin or fur of pets.
Question: Should I get my pet tested?
Answer: Routine testing of pets for COVID-19 is not being recommended by the governing bodies such as the AVMA, CDC, USDA, or the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). Experts currently agree that COVID-19 is primarily transmitted person-to-person. If your pet becomes ill with respiratory or gastrointestinal signs, then your pet should go to the veterinarian to be checked for the usual causes of those illnesses. If your veterinarian feels your pet needs to be tested for COVID-19 then he/she has a protocol to follow by contacting the appropriate USDA and state appointed officials in order to get the testing performed for your pet.
This is a time that our pets most demonstrate how crucial they are to our lives and our emotional well-being! Take care of them, love them, and take precautions to keep them safe.
