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Posted: Apr 6, 2020 / 02:02 PM CDT / Updated: Apr 6, 2020 / 04:48 PM CDT

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AUBURN, Ala. With recent cases of animals being found to have the COVID-19 disease, people have a lot of questions about coronavirus and their household pets.

In a news release from the university on Monday, Dr. Ellen Behrend, the acting director of Auburn Universitys Veterinary Teaching Hospitals and the Joezy Griffin Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicines Department of Clinical Sciences, broke down recent news about pets infected with COVID-19 and offered best practices for keeping pets and peopl healthy during the pandemic.

Can pets become infected with COVID-19?

Three pets outside of the U.S. have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 and all lived with humans that also tested positive, Behrend said. Of the three positive cases of suspected human-to-animal transmission, the two dogs never showed any symptoms of COVID-19 and never became sick. The third, and most recent positive COVID-19 result in a pet, is a cat in Belgium that developed gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms about one week after the owner began showing symptoms of COVID-19. It is not known if the virus found in any of these animals was alive or dead, or if the cat coincidentally tested positive for the coronavirus while sick with another problem that caused the symptoms.

Over the weekend, a tiger at New Yorks Bronx Zoo tested positive as well. It is also not clear if animals are able to transmit the virus, or if they are merely carriers. Behrend said they do know that positive tests are neither concerning nor surprising based on previous infectious disease behavior in humans and animals. More research is needed before reliable determinations can be made about human-to-animal and animal-to-human COVID-19 transmission, she said.

Most importantly, she said it is yet another reason to prioritize basic infection control measures, like washing hands after interaction with pets and physically distancing yourself as you would a person you are living with.

How should I care for my pet if I become infected with COVID-19?

If you test positive for COVID-19, let your doctor know that you have pets in your home. Behrend said. Contact with animals should be restricted while you are sick with COVID-19, just like you would distance yourself from other people.

When possible, another member of your household should care for the pets and you should avoid unnecessary contact with your pets. If you have tested positive and are the only person available to care for your pet or service animal, Berhend said you should take care to wash your hands before and after caring for the animal and, if possible, wear a face mask while interacting until you are medically cleared to return to your normal activities.

What do I do if I become infected and my pet gets sick?

If your pet begins to show some symptoms of COVID-19, contact your veterinarian for advice. If you become infected and your pet gets sick also, Behrend says keep the animal in the house, isolate the pet from people and other animals and practice good hygiene when interacting with your pet limit touching, dont snuggle, dont put your face near your pets face, wash your hands afterwards, etc. Be careful with your pets, Behrend said practice some distancing and extra hygiene until you are both healthy, but do not abandon them.

Can animal vaccines protect me against COVID-19?

According to Behrend, the short answer is no. There are coronavirus vaccines made for animals, but they do not protect against the specific type of coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

What are best practices for keeping my pets healthy?

Use the same distancing practices for your pets as you use for yourself, Behrend said. Limit contact with people, especially people with fever or respiratory symptoms. Dont take pets into crowded areas and maintain a distance from others when walking your dog. If a place is safe for you, it should be safe for your pets.

Where can I find information about COVID-19 and my pets?

Behrend suggests the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website atwww.cdc.govand the American Veterinary Medical Association website atwww.avma.org for accurate, up-to-date pet-related information about COVID-19.

Continue reading here:
Auburn expert gives advice on pets and COVID-19 - WHNT News 19

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