Dogs and cats can fall sick with the virus but it usually isn’t serious.
By this point, you would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know how COVID-19 spreads. The novel coronavirus travels from person-to-person through droplets expelled by an infected body into the air. When others breathe these droplets in or touch a surface they have contaminated and then touch their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, they can become infected.
COVID-19 is a respiratory virus and spreads much like a common cold. Most illnesses you can catch, your pets readily avoid. The opposite is also true. Your dog doesn’t usually catch your cold if you’re at home sick in bed cuddling with them. The novel coronavirus is a zoonotic virus, however. This means it’s an infectious disease that spreads from one species to another. There’s much debate over COVID-19’s origins and many experts believe it traveled to humans from animals infected at a Wuhan wet market in China. A bat has been considered as the culprit as has the pangolin.
While we may never know the conclusive answer, you can protect yourself and your loved ones. Here’s what you should and shouldn’t do if you catch COVID-19 and want to protect your pet.
Don’t place a mask on your dog
It goes without saying that you should avoid putting a mask on your dog if you catch COVID. We’ll mention it anyway, just in case. Here’s what else you should avoid doing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC):
- Don’t wipe your pet with chemical disinfectants
- Don’t use hand sanitizer on them
- Don’t allow cats that test positive to roam outside
- Don’t take your dog to the dog run to socialize
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That’s a lot of ‘no’s’ but they’re worth paying attention to in order to keep your pet, and others, safe.
Here’s what you should do to protect them:
- Keep track of their symptoms
- Contact your veterinarian
- Socially distance your pet from others
- Protect yourself as you would when caring for a person infected with COVID-19
- Keep your pet away from others until they’re symptom-free for 72 hours
The good news is that pets don’t usually fall dangerously sick with COVID-19. As with humans, it can happen but it isn’t common. Your pet might experience the same symptoms we do if they become infected. This includes a fever, trouble breathing, a runny nose, fatigue, diarrhea, and vomiting. Your pet may also have eye discharge they don’t normally have.
To protect yourself and your family while you pet is sick, avoid:
- Snuggles
- Cuddles
- Kissing
- Sharing food
- Sleeping in the same bed
You can still pet your dog or cat but you want to maintain some distance from their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
Remember, this is temporary and your pet will soon be better. If you contract COVID-19 yourself and your pet hasn’t, maintain the same distance you would with people. Feed and care for them but don’t get too close.
For more information, contact your veterinarian.
photo credits: smrm1977/Shutterstock.com
