Coronavirus Covid-19 and The Safety of Your Pets
March 17, 2020
When Covid-19 first arrived, pet owners had a lot of questions and very few answers. Should I quarantine the cat? Should I sanitize the dog? Early advice changed quickly as scientists learned more, so this article has been updated to reflect what veterinary consensus now says about Covid-19 and our pets.
Get out of my face!
One of the hardest things to do is stop hugging and kissing your dog or cat, but if you are sick, that is exactly what you need to do. We now know that cats and dogs can catch the virus that causes Covid-19, and when they do, it is almost always from close contact with an infected person. Pets are also susceptible to their own, unrelated coronaviruses (a cause of gastroenteritis in dogs, for example), which is a separate issue – but the bottom line is the same: when you are unwell, keep your face away from theirs.
Coronavirus and dogs
Early in the pandemic, a dog in Hong Kong made headlines with a weak-positive test, and at the time it was dismissed as low risk. Since then, human-to-pet transmission has been well documented: both dogs and cats can contract the virus from infected people. Cats appear to be more susceptible than dogs and can pass the virus to other cats. The good news is that infected pets usually have mild symptoms or none at all, and serious illness is rare. The risk of a pet passing the virus back to people is considered low – but it is still sensible not to smother your dog or cat in kisses while anyone in the household is sick.
Does my dog or cat need to wear a mask?
No. Some people went to the extreme of masking their dogs, but veterinary consensus is clear: never put a mask on a pet. Masks can restrict an animal’s breathing, cause overheating, and frighten them, and there is no evidence they protect pets from infection. If a mask is going to be worn in your household, it belongs on the sick human, not on the dog.
Limit social contact
When illness is circulating, you can limit your pet’s exposure by politely asking people not to pet your dog. You know how cute your dog is and how much people love to stop and tell you so, but a friendly wave from a distance works just as well. Since pets mainly catch the virus from infected people, keeping strangers’ hands and faces off your dog during an outbreak is a reasonable precaution – social distancing applies to our pets too.
Practice safety when grooming
Good hygiene protects both of you: wash your hands before and after handling your pet, their food, and their waste. Just as important is what not to do – never wipe or bathe a pet with hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, alcohol, or household cleaners. These products can burn skin and are toxic if licked off. If your pet needs a clean-up, plain water or a regular pet shampoo is all it takes. And if you ever think your pet needs medication of any kind, ask your veterinarian – never give a pet human medicines.
Self-isolation means your cats and dogs too
If you are isolating because you are sick with Covid-19, treat your pets like the other members of your household: keep your distance where you can. If possible, have another person in the home feed and walk them. If you must care for them yourself, wear a mask around them, skip the cuddles and shared beds, and wash your hands before and after every interaction. Keep cats indoors while you are infectious so they cannot carry the virus to other cats, and keep dogs on-leash and away from that stop-and-pet-my-dog person on pee breaks. There is no need to wipe your dog down with anything – just wash your own hands when you get home. If your pet seems unwell after being around someone with Covid-19, call your veterinarian first rather than showing up at the clinic, and follow their advice.
So the bottom line is – dogs and cats can contract the virus that causes Covid-19, almost always from an infected person, and cats can spread it to other cats. Thankfully, illness in pets is usually mild, and the risk of pets spreading it to people is considered low. There is no reason to panic, and absolutely no reason to give up a pet over Covid-19. Practice good hand hygiene, keep sick humans away from animal faces, and call your veterinarian with any concerns about your pet’s health. Stay home when you’re sick, stay safe!
Petbook