Coronavirus in Dogs – Everything You Need to Know

Coronavirus has caused serious threats to humans’ life. Every now and then, you come across the tragic news of causalities across the whole world. In such circumstances, you think either your pets especially dogs are safe from this disease?

Here, we addressed some questions that might have popped up in your mind regarding the health of dogs and their chances of being affected by this novel virus.

Can Dogs Be Affected by this Disease?

Contrarily, the risk of virus transmission to dogs is very low. Very few cases of mild coronavirus have been reported in dogs and that’s mainly because their infected owners might have contacted them. While no case of dogs dying due to COVID-19 has been reported until now.

Although, you might have heard about the death of Pomeranian in Hong Kong due to coronavirus; however, it was wrongly reported. It did develop some symptoms initially but died due to stress caused by keeping it away from its owner for several weeks.

Read more: How to Socialize your Puppy and Rescue Dog During Coronavirus Pandemic

Can Dogs Transmit Coronavirus to Humans?

Well, this question needs some research before addressed properly. As humans can transmit this disease to dogs, similarly, it might be hypothesized that dogs can also transmit this disease. Nevertheless, WHO currently states that there is no evidence that dogs can pass on this disease to humans.

Although, mainly this virus is transmitted from person to person; however, you should still consider the social distancing practice from both humans and dogs for your safety.

How Can I Care for My Dog During Pandemic?

Now that we know about the potential risks of coronavirus in dogs, certain measures are needed to be taken to keep your dog safe during this pandemic. The CDC recommends keeping your dog under the same social distancing rules that are applied to humans.

This means that you should:

• Always keep your dog away from outside animals and infected people.
• Walk your dog on a leash, keeping them at least 2 meters from other animals or people.
• Avoid dog parks or large gatherings of people.
• In case you feel sick or develop the positive symptoms of this disease, it is recommended that you stay away from your dog and ask another family member to care for your dog.
• If you think that it’s difficult to follow this guideline, you can wear a face mask around your dog at all times and do not go in for the pets and kisses. It’s going to be hard for you but you have to do this! After all, it’s all about yours and your pet’s health.
• Last but not the least, if your dog becomes sick during or after you have been infected with the virus, do not take them to the vet, as you risk exposing more animals to the virus. Instead, ring your vet and tell them that you have been sick, and they will guide you afterward.

Following these guidelines will certainly help you in keeping your dog safe against this novel disease.

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