The simple answer to this question is no. While it is understandable to be concerned about coronavirus infection, it would be completely wrong to focus our attention on dogs.
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Last month, heartbreaking photos of pets dogs and cats were taken in China’s Hubei Province. The images showed their eyes closed, their bodies lying on the pavements, some with their blood surrounded.
Their owners were terrified of their pets contracting the virus. Some owners believed their pets might be carriers and threw them out of high-rise tower blocks windows.
Fears of people led to unjustifiable and cruel loss of life.
This is a common reaction, but it doesn’t seem to be widespread. Most people realize that this is a completely unnecessary response to the coronavirus myth mill.
Previous outbreaks of disease in pets
Because of its striking similarities, Coronavirus is often compared with the 2003 SARS outbreak.
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Pets could also spread the disease, just as with SARS. Only eight cats and one dog were tested positive for the virus by the end of the epidemic. However, no animals were ever confirmed to have transmitted the disease to humans.
The world is now focusing its attention on Hong Kong, where a 17-year-old Pomeranian Pomeranian dog tested weak positive for coronavirus.
An older dog might be more susceptible to infection than a younger dog, but it still shows no signs of COVID-19-related disease. Experts are monitoring the dog and performing repeated tests.
A single case
It is estimated that around 750 million dogs live in the world. Only one dog has ever tested positive for coronavirus.
This is a rare and unusual case. This is a rare and isolated case. We must avoid any knee-jerk reactions to our canine companions.
Experts are still unsure of the interaction between the disease and other animals. Questions have been raised about whether the dog actually has the disease or if the virus is being carried in its body.
The dog was not far from its owner who has the disease. Coronavirus can only be contracted by dogs if the disease has mutated to allow it to attach to dog cells. We don’t yet know if this is true, so this example only tells us a little.
Different genes
It is important to remember that dogs have different genes than humans. Although it appears that the coronavirus originated in bats, it is not clear how it jumped to humans from bats. It is also unclear if another animal was involved in this transition.
Even though this case shows that the virus can be transmitted to dogs, there is not enough information at this time to know if it could spread to other dogs, animals, or back to humans.
Canine parvovirus, heartworms, and distemper are just a few examples of infections that can’t be passed from dog to human.
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Advice for pets
Animals can be great companions, and pets shouldn’t have to suffer from fear or cruelty.
As we learn more about the transmission of coronavirus, we urge people to keep their pets safe by avoiding crowded areas for dog walks and limiting their time outside.
It is important to remember to microchip, vaccinate and neuter your pets.
We recommend that pets in a household with COVID-19 infection are quarantined or kept away from other animals if possible.
We need to take care of our animals, not panic.
It is not known if pets could be infected with coronavirus.
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Dogs are an integral part of our daily lives and make us happier. Dogs keep us company, guard our homes, and help with livestock. They can also learn extraordinary tasks, so let’s ensure that they, as well as ourselves, are protected.