Coronavirus is a group of viruses that causes illness in mammals and birds. Some of these viruses cause mild symptoms in humans while there are deadly varieties of coronavirus – SARS, MERS and COVID-19 (the new coronavirus). The new coronavirus is now a virus that is known and feared by humans worldwide after the outbreak in a village called Wuhan, China in December 2019. The COVID-19 outbreak has definitely shaken the world with its unique ability to transmit the infection from one human to another rapidly. As of April 20, 2020, out of 24,16,135 infected people, the world has seen 6,23,983 recoveries and 1,65,939 deaths. There are around 1,20,067 confirmed cases in the UK.
The most common symptoms in humans infected with COVID-19 are fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some people may also experience headaches, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and diarrhea. The WHO and the US CDC mentioned that the main mode of transmission is by close contact with the infected person or through droplet transmission including cough and saliva.
We take care of ourselves, clean our hands, make sure not to touch our face and also take the utmost care of our kids and babies at home. But what about our furry friends? How do we protect them from this deadly disease? Is it possible for a cat or a dog to contract the COVID 19 virus from its pet owner? Let’s take a look at the common queries that most of the pet owners have.
Can a pet contract the coronavirus?
There have been some messages and news circulating in the social media about cats being tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. There were subsequent experiments conducted to see if pets can indeed get infected from the virus and show symptoms as people were fearful and neglecting or disposing of their unwanted pets for fear of contracting the potentially deadly virus. In reality, to date, there is absolutely no evidence of a pet becoming infected with the coronavirus. Some of them may be hosts and have traces of the virus, but there is no proof of a human being becoming infected from a cat or a dog. So your furry friends can be safely cuddled and loved during this time.
I have tested positive for COVID 19 and I have a pet. What should I do?
Whether you are infected or not, please make sure that you handle your beloved pets only with clean hands. Also wear a face mask if you are infected, this is for other human’s sakes who may come in contact with your pet. Your pet WILL NOT give you COVID 19 as mentioned, but close contact with your pet directly after a positive COVID 19 patient has handled the pet might leave a residue of the virus on the pet for a brief period of time.
Kindly follow the best practices to make sure you don’t transfer any disease to your pets and vice versa:
- Wash your hands before and after you handle your pets. This has to be followed irrespective of the current situation. Having your hands cleaned after you handle your pet will eliminate any chance of you getting infected from any bacteria and virus, not just the coronavirus.
- Cover your face and make sure you do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with dirty hands.
- Maintain social distancing, at least one-meter distance from one person to another.
Can I get the coronavirus from my pet?
As mentioned above, according to WHO, there is no evidence of any human being getting infected from a pet that has Coronavirus. The only form of transmission is from human to human.
My pet is feeling sick, having shortness of breath and diarrhea. Does my pet have Coronavirus?
Do not panic, your pet may have a health issue that a vet has to diagnose and take care of. There are no pets in the UK showing symptoms of the new Coronavirus. If you are unsure please contact us for an in home consultation. Our expert palliative care will help your pet to feel more comfortable.
Dr Suzen and Dr Joe and all Vets2Home staff are trained in the transmission of pathogens. We take extreme care when coming into your home. We have strict social distancing measures in place to ensure your complete safety and peace of mind. We are able to still perform our loving two step euthanasia process either in your home or in your garden if you feel more comfortable being outdoors. We kindly request you to cooperate with our procedures to ensure the best, loving, safe, goodbye for your beloved pet. We also offer contactless payments if you would prefer.
Pet euthanasia during Covid-19:
Euthanising your pet is always an extremely hard and sad decision, one that is never made lightly by either you as a family nor our team. Now it is even more fraught with stress and questions. Can we be with our pet when you cross over the Rainbow Bridge? Will our own health be at risk if so? Should we let people into our home at all? With social distancing and the whole CoVID 19 pandemic it is not possible for pet owners to be with their pets during the last few minutes when going to a regular veterinary practise. In fact, some are asking people to leave their dear pets outside and drive away before the pet is allowed entry into the Vet practise for the final injection. This must be truly heart wrenching and awful for the family and also their beloved pets.
For this reason we continue to provide full in-home support to all pet owners who have decided to or simply must go through this sad process. We come to you in a loving and unhurried and natural setting, your home. We give your beloved pet the peaceful goodbye they deserve with their friends and family around them. Whilst at the same time, we ensure the safety and health of all present at the final farewell.