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Protecting Your Pet From Coronavirus

Wednesday, April 29, 2020
posted by Jim Murphy

In you weren’t aware, your dog and cat can get Coronavirus. Here’s a story published by ABC News on April 27th. Be careful and take care of your pets during this crisis.

After two feline friends in New York became the first U.S. household pets to test positive for the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says pet owners should take the precaution of simply treating pets like “other human family members.”

Though there have only been a handful of known cases of animals becoming infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, the advisory issued last week suggests people apply the same social distancing measures to their pets as they do to family with whom they’re living.

That means keeping cats indoors and walking dogs on a leash at least six feet away from other animals and other people. And best to avoid dog parks.

Inside the home, it’s fine to interact with pets as you normally would, ideally with frequent hand washing and good pet hygiene. But if someone in the household gets sick, the CDC says pets should be kept a safe distance from that person — just like the human members of the family.

“Social distancing applies to your pets too,” said Veterinary Specialist Dr. Melissa Salgado. “They are at risk of developing this disease so it’s best to err on the side of caution.”

MORE: CDC adds 6 new possible symptoms of coronavirus

Salgado, who diagnosed one of the infected cats, added that testing for animals is more invasive than it is for humans and for now, routine testing is not recommended by the CDC.

“Testing requires swabs of the nose, of the mouth, and the conjunctiva of the eyes, as well as fecal testing,” Salgado said. “And there’s so many illnesses in pets that aren’t coronavirus that we aren’t advocating for widespread testing.”

According to the CDC, the two felines who tested positive for the coronavirus experienced mild respiratory symptoms and are expected to make a full recovery.

PHOTO: Arfa Yousuf, 8, holds he pet cat after completing her martial arts virtural belt test at her home in Richardson, Texas, April 23, 2020. (LM Otero/AP)
Remember, your pets count and thanks to ABC for this very helpful information!
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