Pets
positive for Covid-19 must be quarantined
10 Apr 2020
KUALA LUMPUR: Pets confirmed positive for Covid-19 must be
isolated and quarantined for 14 days for monitoring, says a researcher.
Dr Farina Mustaffa Kamal, senior lecturer (veterinary
immunology) and researcher in pet disease at the Veterinary Science Faculty in
Universiti Putra Malaysia, said if pets showed any health issue during this
period, owners should consult the district Veterinary Services Department for
further action.
Although there is no evidence of pets spreading Covid-19, the
animals can themselves be infected by the disease as reported by the World
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), she said.
“Two cases involving pets (a cat and a dog) contracting Covid-19
from owners have been reported in Belgium and Hong Kong.
“These pets were suspected to have contracted the disease
through close contact with Covid-19 positive people through kisses, hugs or
general management, ” she said.
However, Dr Farina said so far, the number of infected pets is
very small and there is no information on symptoms in animals infected with
Covid-19, with most not displaying any signs.
“Only one cat in Belgium displayed symptoms of breathing
difficulties, diarrhoea and vomiting. But it must be remembered that other
virus or bacteria can also cause these same symptoms in animals, ” she said.
Dr Farina said it is better for pet owners to impose early
quarantine and isolation measures on their animals as soon as they realise they
have symptoms of Covid-19.
She said there is still no clear evidence that certain species
of animals are naturally more susceptible to infections, adding that with the
current Covid-19 pandemic, pet owners were encouraged to isolate their animals
in the house.
“So far, experimental studies show that the virus can infect cats,
ferrets and monkeys, ” she said, adding that ferrets and monkeys were the
laboratory animals used in studies on coronavirus.
Dr Farina said it is difficult to check on stray cats as they
are not used to human interaction.
“Logically speaking, there is less close contact between humans
and stray cats, but OIE and World Health Organisation’s recommendations must be
observed when managing pets and strays, ” she said.
Dr Farina said, generally speaking, coronavirus is a large
family of viruses which infect different species of animals. — Bernama
.
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