Covid-19 and dogs
Which dog owner hasn't googled "covid dog" at least once in the last few months? Well, personally that's what we did and we found a bit of everything. So we decided to summarize it for you and especially to give you some information validated by our canine professional, Dr. Capozzi from the veterinary office “La Fonderie “in Carouge.
To date, here's what we know...According to the latest studies, the risk of pets becoming infected remains very low. However, it seems that cats are more susceptible to the virus than dogs. In addition, the dogs that tested positive all came from outbreaks of infected people with a high viral load and therefore high contagiousness. Conversely, there is no evidence that dogs can transmit the virus to humans.
COVID-19 tests by PCR and serology are now available for dogs and cats in Switzerland at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Zurich. They are done free of charge as part of a study. It is strongly advised to test your dog if you were sick with COVID-19, if the dog shows compatible signs and if your veterinarian has excluded other causes of illness.
And a little bonus info to be an expert of the coronavirus, you should know that the canine coronavirus (CCoV) already existed before the pandemic. However, it is most often benign if the dog has a good immune system. It normally only causes gastrointestinal disorders and is not transmissible to humans.
There, you know everything 😊 but because we want to give you as much information as possible, we give you a few more tips below:
What is advised to do:
- If you are positive, in isolation or quarantine :
- Respect the general rules of hygiene such as: washing your hands regularly and do not let your pet lick your face.
- If you have the possibility, it is better to have your dog looked after by a relative in good health.
- If you have to take your dog to the veterinarian in an emergency, make sure you inform them of the situation so that they can take all the necessary measures.
- If your pet tests positive after a test done by professionals :
- Limit contact with your pet to the bare minimum for at least ten days.
- When walking, keep your pet on a leash to avoid contact with other animals.
- After any contact with your dog, wash your hands thoroughly with soap or disinfect them.
- Try to keep as clean as possible your dog's belongings (bed, bowls, etc.)
What it is not advisable to do:
- In all cases:
- Do not use disinfectant on animals.
- Do not make them wear a mask
- Don't abandon your pet for fear that he will transmit the virus to you, talk to your veterinarian if necessary.
- Don't adopt an animal on a whim! For example, just to keep you company now that you are teleworking. One day, telework will end and but your pet will still be around for many years to come!
We hope we have answered questions you may have had or at least confirmed what you already knew. But what we hope is that within a few months we won't hear about this damn COVID! 😊
Yoshi, Alicia and Julien
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