Veterinary professionals looking to educate themselves and pet owners about coronaviruses, including one that has infected thousands of people worldwide, are invited to access several documents compiled by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The newest coronavirus, abbreviated COVID-19, is not believed to pose a threat to pets, and they are not known carriers or transmitters of the disease.
Among the available AVMA resources are:”
- “COVID-19 in Humans”: http://bit.ly/3amxOjE
- “Coronaviruses in Domestic Species”: http://bit.ly/2VAQOGU
- “Coronavirus: Detailed Taxonomy”: http://bit.ly/2wjuYwS
The AVMA blog item “What Do You Need to Know About Coronavirus?” and additional links are posted at http://bit.ly/2I9OHSr.
Meanwhile, pet health insurer Trupanion reported Feb. 29 that it found “no unusual increase or change in the frequency of illnesses” among animals seen at North American veterinary hospitals.
“We monitor our data on a very granular level — daily, weekly and monthly and by breed, country, city and even at a neighborhood level — to make sure we understand and are on top of any health-related trends that might be out of the norm,” said Mary Rothlisberger, vice president of analytics. “As of today, we have not seen any increases or changes in the frequency of illnesses that would appear unusual.”
Reports that a Hong Kong dog tested “weak positive” for COVID-19 raised fears that pets might spread the disease. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association, in a statement released Feb. 29, advised that the case might not be linked to the current outbreak.
“The Hong Kong SAR Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has reported that the dog, which is showing no relevant clinical signs, has been quarantined and further samples will be collected to confirm if the dog is actually infected with the virus, or if the test result has been caused by environmental contamination,” WSAVA stated.
WSAVA pointed members to a World Organization for Animal Health document for additional information about COVID-19. “Questions and Answers on the 2019 Coronavirus Disease” is available at http://bit.ly/3antpgh.
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