04/07/2020
Hello to you all!
We hope you are staying safe and well as this time of uncertainty! Since more and more information is being seen through media outlets, we wanted to provide some key points about the Covid-19 situation in regards to our pets and animals.
1. If you ARE NOT ill with COVID-19, you can interact with your animals as you normally would, including feeding and otherwise caring for them. You should continue to practice good hygiene during those interactions (e.g., wash hands before and after interacting with your animals, including handling of food, supplies, and waste; keep feed, water, and any supplies used to deliver them clean; remove soiled bedding and replace as appropriate).
2. Out of an abundance of caution and until more is known about this virus, if YOU ARE ILL with COVID-19 you should restrict contact with pets and other animals, just as you would restrict your contact with other people.
When possible, have another member of your household or business take care of feeding and otherwise caring for any animals, including pets. If you have a service animal or you must care for your animals, including pets, wear a cloth face mask; don’t share food, kiss, or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with them.
3. There have been NO reports of pets or livestock becoming ill with COVID-19 in the United States. At this point in time, there is also no evidence that domestic animals, including pets and livestock, can spread COVID-19 to people.
4. While two dogs (Hong Kong) and two cats (one in Belgium and one in Hong Kong) living with people diagnosed with COVID-19 have been reported to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, other dogs and cats also living with infected people remain uninfected. New research articles have been posted to open-access sites on an almost daily basis that describe preliminary results suggesting some domestic animals can be experimentally infected with SARS-CoV-2 and may transmit the virus to other animals in an experimental setting or mount a viral-specific immune response when exposed to SARS-CoV-2.
a. A pet becoming infected in experimental settings does NOT mean that they are INFECTIOUS to people.
b. Caution should be taken to not over-interpret results described in such articles, some of which may report on data from a very small number of animals or provide only preliminary results, and not extrapolate those results to the potential for SARS-CoV-2 to naturally infect or be transmitted by companion animals kept as pets.
c. To date the CDC has not received any reports of pets becoming sick with COVID-19 in the United States. Infectious disease experts and multiple international and domestic human and animal health organizations continue to agree there is no evidence at this point to indicate that, under natural conditions, pets spread COVID-19 to people.
5. The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories has also confirmed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in one tiger at a zoo in New York. This is the first instance of a tiger being infected with COVID-19. Several lions and tigers at the zoo showed clinical signs of respiratory illness and this tiger was tested accordingly. Public health employees believe the large cats became ill after being exposed to a zoo employee who was actively shedding virus. All of the large cats are expected to recover. No other animals in other areas of the zoo are exhibiting similar clinical signs. USDA and CDC are monitoring this situation and the OIE will be notified of the finding.
Source: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19
We hope this information allays some of the concerns you may have or answers some questions that may have passed your mind. This developing situation is being closely monitored. As more information becomes available we will share it as soon as we can.
Stay in good spirits, and Happy Easter!
Sincerely,
Sarah Day, DVM
&
Staff at SPAH
AVMA is committed to helping the veterinary community through the COVID-19 pandemic. Get actionable information on PPE, implementing social distancing in practice, accessing government economic programs, and more.
