Mary Allen
Dogs can contract the coronavirus from their owners – researchers from China recently found out. However, this seems to be rare: out of 15 dogs examined, only two tested positive for COVID-19.
The researchers speculate that the infected dogs were infected by their owners.
As part of their study, published in the journal Nature, researchers in Hong Kong examined 15 household dogs with confirmed human cases of Covid-19. Using antibody tests, decoding the genome of the virus, and – in one dog – isolating the virus, they were able to detect the pathogen in two of them.
The genetic makeup of the pathogen in the dogs was identical to that of their owners, but the samples from the two dogs were very different from each other. This, among other things, is reported by Der Spiegel. From this, the researchers conclude that the four-legged friends were infected by their owners.
Scientists have found the pathogen in a 17-year-old Pomeranian and two and a half years old German Shepherd. During the quarantine, not a single dog showed symptoms of the coronavirus. However, the Pomeranian died two days after the end of quarantine. Due to his advanced age and several previous illnesses, it is unclear if this is actually due to the virus.
Research from China has previously shown that antibodies against the virus have been found in domestic cats. Several cases of infection of domestic cats, tigers, and lions have now been reported in China, Europe, and the United States. These cases are also mostly associated with infected people. In the Netherlands, the virus has spread among minks on a mink farm, according to the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI). Like ferrets, they belong to the marten family.
The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that at least ferrets can transmit the virus to their relatives. However, there is no evidence that pets transmit the disease to humans and thus play a role in the spread of the disease. “Covid-19 is primarily transmitted through droplets that form when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks.”
Another study also shows that coronavirus does not play a large role in pets. The researchers found no coronavirus infection in any of the 4,000 animals tested, including cats, dogs, and horses. The animals lived in areas where the virus was spreading at the time of the study.
However, WHO advises owners of infected animals to limit contact with animals as much as possible and to follow basic hygiene measures. This includes washing your hands thoroughly and avoiding hugs. The experts emphasize: there is no reason to ditch or abandon your pet!