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The world is in the process of shutting down. The coronavirus has been all over the news and is a topic of conversation wherever you go. We are all taking precautions hoping to avoid getting and spreading this new virus. But what about our dogs? Can they become infected with the coronavirus? How do you protect your dog from the coronavirus? These are all questions that pet owners have been asking.
Can Dogs Become Infected With The Coronavirus?
At this time, the Centers For Disease Prevention And Control (CDC), is stating that there have been no confirmed cases of a dog being infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus. This virus is new, though, so little is known for sure if in fact dogs can become infected with this strand of the coronavirus. So if you have been in contact with someone who has the coronavirus or you have been diagnosed with it yourself, you need to take precautions with your dog to err on the side of caution.
Update: A dog from Hong Kong owned by a person who contracted COVID-19 was quaranteened. The dog was tested for COVID-19 and the results returned with a weak positive. A total of 5 tests were done on the dog, all which resulted in a weak positive. It is believe that possibly the virus was passed from the infected owner to the dog. The dog showed no symptons of the virus and did not become sick.
Once the dog tested negative for the virus two times, the dog was returned home to the owner. Two days after being returned to the owner, the dog died. Unfortunately, there was no necropsy performed on the dog to determine the cause of death. The dog was a 17 year old pomeranian.
There is still a lot of skeptism over this case. And to date, there have been no other dogs with a positive test result for COVID-19.
Read the news article HERE.
Can Dogs Spread The Coronavirus?
At this time, the Centers For Disease Prevention And Control (CDC) has no evidence that dogs can spread the coronavirus to humans or be a source of infection of the virus to humans. But if the dog has had contact with a person who is infected, the virus from the person could live on the dog’s fur and then be transmitted to another human. This would be no different than a person touching a door handle that was contaminated and picking up the virus that way.
4 Ways To Protect Your Dog From The COVID-19 Coronavirus
1.Wash your hands frequently with soap
The best way to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus is through washing your hands with soap and hot water. This will also help you to protect your dog from the coronavirus. When you come home, before touching your dog, wash your hands with warm water and soap.
It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the spread of this virus. Wash your hands regularly.
2. Social Distancing
If you or someone you have been in contact becomes infected with COVID-19, do not kiss, hug, or touch your dog. Keep your distance, just like you would if your dog was another person. This is especially hard for those of us who are used to cuddling and petting our dogs. It’s also hard because they will not understand why you can’t have contact with them. But if it helps to keep them safe, for a few weeks it will all be worth it.
Not touching your dog, if you have the coronavirus, will also help to protect the other people living in your home. The virus can live on your dog’s fur so if you touch your dog and the virus gets on his hair, the next person who touches the dog can get the virus. Please note: this does not mean that your dog is spreading the coronavirus, it means that people can spread the coronavirus by contaminating their pets or any other surfaces that they touch.
3. Disinfect Regularly
Using a disinfectant that is safe for your dog, clean surfaces regularly. Anything that could become infected with the virus should be cleaned before you or your dog have contact with it.
Since COVID-19 is a new virus, research is still being done to see what will effectively kill it. The United States Environmental Agency has a list of active ingredients that work on other coronaviruses. You can read the complete list HERE.
4. Have someone else care for your dog if you become infected
If at all possible, if you become sick with the coronavirus, avoid contact with your dog and have someone else care for him. Even though there is no concrete evidence supporting that dogs can become infected, it is best to take precautions. If you do not have anyone else to look after your dog while you are sick, wash your hands before handling his food and keep contact with your dog to a minimum.
The steps we can take to protect our dogs are very similar to the steps that we take to protect each other. If your dog has been exposed to the coronavirus and becomes sick contact your veterinarian for advice on what you can do.
*Sources: Centers For Disease Prevention And Control , United States Environmental Agency and Time Magazine
