People are taking all necessary precautions and doing all they can to avoid catching the novel coronavirus amid the pandemic. But what about our furry pooch friends? Can they catch, carry and transmit the virus?
There is a lot of conflicting information on the internet and in the news. We’ve done our research to update you on the latest findings and to help you better understand whether your dog can catch Covid-19 or not.
Please remember that this virus is completely new and therefore there is no concrete evidence to support theories yet. We can only rely on information and evidence we have up to date.
Can Dogs Get Covid-19?
In order to answer this question we must first clarify the different between a virus and a disease. The coronavirus that is causing the current pandemic is known as SARS-CoV-2.
As per the technical guidance provided by WHO (World Health Organisation), SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is the name of the virus.
The virus then causes COVID-19 in it’s host, which is classed as a disease.
So the questions we need to ask are – can dogs catch the SARS-CoV-2 virus and if so how will the COVID-19 disease affect them. Also can they spread it to humans?
Although there were early claims made suggesting that dogs cannot contract the novel coronavirus, later evidence has surfaced to disprove this.
There has been a few cases across the globe where dogs have tested positive for COVID-19 including a Pug in North Carolina, USA and two dogs from the same home in Hong Kong.
CDC (Centres for Disease Control & Prevention) along with the UK Government have confirmed that pets, including Dogs can contract the coronavirus.
So should you be concerned for your dog’s health?
From what we’ve discovered dogs do not show any symptoms and do not get ill from COVID-19. The virus however, affects cats differently and a small number of infected cats have shown mild symptoms.
To conclude: To date we know that dogs can catch the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-19 disease does not affect them and they show no symptoms.
Can You Catch COVID-19 From Your Dog?
So if your dog unfortunately gets the virus, will it spread to you?
Due to the virus being respiratory it spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. If another person inhales these droplets, then they have a high chance of becoming infected themselves.
So far we only have evidence of human to human transmission, and human to pet transmission. There is no evidence of dogs passing the virus to humans. The WHO have confirmed – “There is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can transmit COVID-19”.
The CDC in America has also stated similar advice – “there is no reason to think that any animals or pets in the United States might be a source of infection with this novel coronavirus”.
There is however, still a chance that droplets from an infected human can land on your dog’s fur. The virus could then spread to you should you inhale these droplets.
So even though your dog cannot directly pass on their virus to you, they could carry the virus from other people on their body.
If you have COVID-19 however, you may pass it on to your dog.
According to the UK Government the virus “may pass from infected humans to certain pets”. The CDC also confirms this – “the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread from people to animals in some situations”.
But don’t panic. According to Hong Kong health officials, who conducted studies on dogs, infections in dogs is infrequent. And from what we’ve learnt so far, dogs do not seem to suffer from the disease and show no symptoms.
To conclude: There is no evidence that dogs can pass on the virus to humans. But they can carry the virus in droplets on their body.
Our Advice
Follow government guidelines on staying safe – regularly wash hands with soap for at least 20 seconds; do not touch your face with unwashed hands; and follow social distancing guidelines. This applies to dogs from other households too.
Do not interact with other people’s dogs and do not let your dog interact with other people or their dogs.
If you have COVID-19, you should try to avoid contact with your dog – we know this can be hard but it’s to protect them. Even though the evidence suggests that dogs show no symptoms, it’s better to be safe than sorry right?