Coronavirus advice for pet owners

Coronavirus pets

A woman wearing face mask, walks her dogs in Hong Kong, Thursday, March 5, 2020. Pet cats and dogs cannot pass the new coronavirus to humans, but they can test positive for low levels of the pathogen if they catch it from their owner. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)AP

No evidence has been found that the coronavirus COVID-19 can be passed between humans and dogs, cats or other companion animals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But, should pet owners worry about their dogs or cats picking up the novel coronavirus infection?

Should I be concerned about my dog or cat picking up the novel coronavirus infection?

“There is no evidence at this time that dogs or cats can become ill due to the novel coronavirus,” said Gary Richter, a veterinarian on Rover’s Dog People Panel and author of The Ultimate Pet Health Guide.

“There have been cases of dogs testing weak positive when they have been living with an infected person, but it is not suspected these animals can pass the virus to humans.”

Richter and staff at Rover, an international network of pet sitters and dog walkers, put together a free online guide, Dogs and the Coronavirus: A Resource Guide for Pet Parents About COVID-19.

Pet owners also wonder if they should be cleaning their dogs or cats more often than regularly, or if they should be somehow sanitizing their pets.

Richter said, “There are no particular precautions regarding keeping pets clean relative to the coronavirus.

“If the pet was exposed to an infected person, it is theoretically possible that virus particles on their fur could be picked up by a human as a result of petting, although this is unlikely.

“If a pet is suspected to have been exposed to an infected person, bathing the pet should resolve any concerns about them carrying virus on their fur.”

Should I change my behavior around my cat/dog while this disease is going around? ask some pet owners.

“There is no evidence to suggest this is necessary,” said Richter.

Another common question concerns taking dogs to dog parks, which would seem to run counter to all advice on social distancing and gathering in large groups.

“The concern here is from people, not other animals,” noted Richter. “Going to the dog park might expose people to other infected humans. There is currently no evidence to suggest that transmission from dog or cat to human has occurred.”

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