The Covid pandemic that apparently originated from Wuhan, China has already claimed the lives of more than 3.4 million people worldwide. As the pandemic is showing no signs of slowing down amid vaccination rollout, pet owners are increasingly worried about their cats and dogs which may get infected with the virus from humans. And now, a new study has suggested that Covid is common among pet dogs and cats whose owners are infected with the coronavirus.
Study sheds light on Covid infection among pet dogs and cats
The study conducted by researchers at the Utrecht University analyzed pet dogs and cats of people who had tested positive for Covid. The team visited the pet owners' homes and collected oropharyngeal and rectal swabs, and blood samples of cats and dogs. During the study, researchers analyzed 156 dogs and 154 cats from 196 households.
Researchers who took part in the study used the swabs for PCR tests to find evidence of current infection, while blood samples were tested to detect antibodies, an indication of past infection.
The results showed that six cats and seven dogs had positive PCR tests, while 31 cats and 23 dogs had antibodies in their bodies.
Covid positive pet owners should stay away from cats and dogs
The research report strongly hinted at the fact that pet owners can easily transmit Covid to cats and dogs.
"If you have Covid, you should avoid contact with your cat or dog, just as you would do with other people. The main concern, however, is not the animals' health — they had no or mild symptoms of Covid — but the potential risk that pets could act as a reservoir of the virus and reintroduce it into the human population," said El Broens from the Utrecht University in a recent statement.
Fortunately, all the animals who were tested positive for coronavirus infection eventually tested negative for the virus.
