Can We Pass The New Coronavirus To Our Pets?

COVID-19 originated from Wuhan, China where infected individuals raised to thousands and suddenly, the virus spread almost all over the world. The center of the epidemic is now in Italy because it is now the country where the virus is spreading rapidly. COVID-19 mostly affects the old people whose immune systems are low and the people suffering from other chronic illnesses. Imagine, hospitals can’t accommodate everyone because people who need to be tested and treated are higher than the number of beds available for everyone. That's why healthcare workers who are front liners in this battle work overtime and can't even sleep or eat during breaks because they have a lot of patients to attend to.

On the other hand, because of the widely spread virus, people are thinking if COVID-19 is transmittable to pets by humans. We don’t want our pets like dogs and cats to suffer from the harshness of the virus, right? Mostly, we know that our pets fall sick when pests like fleas and ticks are around. Pets can also be susceptible to viruses but it may depend if it can indeed harm your dogs or other pets.

The scare of the new coronavirus is enveloping everyone in fear, even pet owners. Let’s find out if we can indeed pass the COVID-19 to our lovely pets at home.

Human Transmission Of COVID-19 To Pets: Is it Possible?

The world is surrounded by fear because COVID-19 is unstoppable. The virus has been hitting thousands of people mostly senior citizens and because of this; the survival chance of some is low. But, we also should think of our pets at home. Even though for some they are just animals, for others they are part of their family. Pets can also get sick so we should give them the utmost care.

Amid the new coronavirus, a dog in Hong Kong made headlines because it was tested for the new coronavirus and the result came back positive. Due to the positive results, it made worries to people because they think that dogs have the possibility of spreading the virus as well. The positive result of the dog put others especially pet owners in an alarming state because they can’t believe that the virus infecting humans can as well be acquired by dogs or pets. The case is either you transmit the virus to your pets or it’s the other way around.

The dog's mouth and nasal cavity provide a weak positive result of the COVID-19. But, the owner of the dog was tested positive for the virus that means the infected person can transmit the virus to pets like dogs. However, even if it is a person to human transmission; everybody should not worry about it because the virus can quickly spread once a person with a virus makes close contact with other people. That's why it is not advised to stay in crowded areas because touching or simply holding an object can already spread the virus.

When you are infected by the virus, you should practice distancing from your family including your pets because your dogs can only have the virus if you transmit it to them. If you have COVID-19, it is best to have your pet be under the care of another family member that is not infected so that your pets will not fall sick as well. If you want your pets to be free from COVID-19 or other diseases, prevent yourself from hugging, kissing, and petting your pets. Don’t even allow them to lick or kiss you. There is a chance that you can transfer the virus to your pets but your furry friends have a low chance of transmitting it to you.

Should Pets Be Tested When Owners Have COVID-19?

Your pets don't need to be tested when you have COVID-19 because your pets may not be the priority in the middle of the pandemic. It is best to have people tested than pets as of the moment because humans can quickly contract and spread the virus than pets can. However, if the case like the dog in Hong Kong happened again, that may be a sign that your pets should be tested as well.

Should Pets Be Quarantined?

Even though there is a very rare chance that your pets will get COVID-19, they still have to be quarantined especially if you have the virus. Keeping them isolated first will help in maintaining their health. You can have your pets quarantined in a room, in a pet daycare, or a hospital. If you decide to quarantine it inside your home, better make a distance from them and avoid getting contact. When you enter the room, wear masks and always wash your hands to avoid getting the virus.

How To Keep Your Pets Safe From COVID-19

We know that everyone should be safe, even your pets from COVID-19. The virus is no joke so you should take safety measures to stop it from spreading. Here are the ways on how you can keep your dogs and even yourself safe from the coronavirus.

Prevent Bringing Your Pets Out

If you have important errands to run and would like to bring your pets with you, better stop it because bringing them out will expose them more to viruses. Make sure to have their necessities like food stocked so that they will not go hungry if you quarantine your pets.

Let An Uninfected Family Member Take Care Of Your Pets

If you have contracted the virus, it is not best for you to spend time closely with your pets because you might transmit the virus to them. Once you are positive that you have COVID-19, you need to make sure that an uninfected family member will take care of your pets for the time being to make your pets safe and sound.

Practice Proper Hygiene

If it is indeed possible for humans to transmit COVID-19 to pets, you should always practice proper hygiene to prevent it from happening. You have to wash your hands, cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, avoid putting your hands on your mouth, nose, and eyes, and always apply alcohol to stop the virus from spreading not only to your pets but your family as well.

The Real Enemies Of Your Pets

When your pets are the concern, you should not focus only on the new coronavirus but you should know the real enemies of your lovely pets. The enemy is not the virus, but pests.

Yes! Pests can be the main problems why your pets are starting to act differently and uncomfortably. That’s why; you need pest control when you have pets because vermin can attack your cats, dogs, birds, and more anytime. Here are some pests that will target your cute pets. 

Fleas

Fleas are one of the top pests your pets will have especially if you have dogs and cats at home. The pest will feed on your pets for blood, breed on your pet’s fur, and lay eggs. Within 21 days, the number of fleas can increase rapidly. If your pets keep on scratching, biting, licking and more in an unusual way, fleas may be present. It can cause allergies to your pets and the pest can infect humans as well.  

Ticks

Another pest that you need to take note of when you have pets at home are ticks. This is mostly found in wooded areas and will hitch on humans and pets so that they can have close contact. Your dogs will serve as hosts for ticks wherein the pest will feed for blood. Even you and your family can be hosts of the pest so you have to be careful because it can bring several diseases such as Lyme disease. 

Mosquitoes

If you think mosquitoes are only deadly to humans, they can be also dangerous to your pets. The vermin carry larvae of heartworm that once the parasite enters your pets, it can affect the lung and heart tissues of your furry friends. When the heartworm begins to grow, it can block the organs of your pets which can often lead to death.

These are some pests that will target your pets, you and your family. If you have vermin at home, it is always best to seek help from a pest control company that is capable of providing exceptional pest control services that will help in eliminating the threats in your home. When you let professionals do the work, rest assured that your home will be pest-free and healthy for your family and pets.