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Read below an article taken from our Animal Pharm platform
dated 03/04/20.
Research by China's Harbin Veterinary Research Institute has
determined cats and ferrets are highly susceptible to the virus
behind the COVID-19 outbreak.
Scientists carried out the study to investigate the
vulnerability of cats, dogs and other domestic animals to
SARS-CoV-2. The cats involved in the study were outbred. Results
showed the virus replicated efficiently and can be transmitted to
naïve cats via respiratory droplets.
Although there is currently no evidence cats or other pets can
pass the virus on to humans, the scientists said the latest
findings suggest surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in cats should be
considered as an adjunct to elimination of COVID-19 in humans.
The study also found dogs have low susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2,
while livestock including pigs, chickens, and ducks are not
susceptible to the virus. A paper outlining the results of the
research can be found in full here.
Harbin's study follows news of a cat in Belgium allegedly
becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2. The animal lived with its owner
who was confined in isolation after testing positive for the virus.
The cat showed clinical signs (anorexia, diarrhea, vomiting,
coughing and shallow breathing) and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2
from successive samples of feces and gastric fluids. The cat
recovered nine days after the onset of clinical signs.
The first dog was diagnosed as weakly positive on five times
from oral and nasal swabs in February and March. Fecal samples were
negative. Serum taken from the dog on March 3 finally proved
positive.
In a separate case, oral and nasal swabs from the second dog
were positive for SARS-CoV2 virus. The dog was sent to quarantine
on March 18 with another dog. No other positive result was obtained
in the other dog. None of the three dogs showed any signs of
disease.
Professor Etienne Thiry is head of veterinary virology and viral
diseases laboratory in the faculty of veterinary medicine at the
University of Liège.
Discussing these cases, he stated: "As it stands, the dog or cat
can be contaminated by an owner affected by SARS-CoV-2, at a low
level that does not allow transmission to other animals or to
humans. They are considered to be epidemiological dead ends."
Overall, SARS-CoV-2 in pets presents a grey area between
infection and contamination.
IDEXX Laboratories has "evaluated thousands of canine and
feline samples during the validation of a new veterinary test
system for SARS-CoV-2 and seen no positive results". Moreover,
Antech Diagnostics previously said its had data shown there was
"no evidence that dogs or cats have been infected with the virus
that causes COVID-19 in humans, SARS-CoV-2".
