Covid 19 And Your Pets
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Covid 19 and your pets. Science s covid 19 reporting is supported by the pulitzer center and the heising simons foundation. Experts say it appears pets can contract the novel coronavirus from. Infected pets might get sick or they might not have any symptoms. To date there have been no documented cases of animals getting sick with covid 19.
Further evidence for how pets might contract covid 19 comes from a study by researchers at the harbin veterinary research institute in china published in the journal science on april 8. Testing is only recommended for pets that have symptoms and have been exposed to a person with covid 19. Dog to definitively test positive for covid 19 died in new york city. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses.
The cdc says most pets sick with covid had a minor form of the disease and fully recovered. Still veterinary experts have recommendations and guidelines to make sure people and their pets remain safe during this pandemic. If you are not ill with covid 19 you can interact with your pets as you normally would including walking feeding and playing according to the american veterinary medical association avma. Wash your hands after touching any of your pet s items.
Can i get covid 19 from my pet or other animals. Experts however advise that people who are sick with covid 19 avoid contact. Aim to isolate your pet in a separate room away from the rest of your family and have your pet stay at home. A small number of pets worldwide including cats and dogs have been reported external icon to be infected with the virus that causes covid 19 mostly after close contact with people with covid 19.
If your pet tests positive for the virus that causes covid 19 follow the same precautions you would if a family member became infected. At this time there is no evidence that companion animals including pets can spread covid 19. On july 30 the associated press reported that the first dog in the united states sickened by covid 19. Based on the limited information available to date the risk of pets spreading the virus that causes covid 19 in people is considered to be low.
Of the pets that have gotten sick most only had mild illness and fully recovered. You may have heard that coronaviruses can infect animals and wondered whether your pets could get covid 19 or pass the virus to you.