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  1. #1
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Updated information on COVID & pets from the CDC

    https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/01/healt...ess/index.html


    Animals unlikely to spread Covid-19 to humans, but precautions can help keep people and their pets safe, says CDC


    By Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN
    Updated 7:17 PM ET, Mon February 1, 2021


    Scientists believe Covid-19 may have roots in these bats 01:22 (CNN)There's no evidence that animals are playing a significant role in the spread of coronavirus to humans, but precautions can help keep people and their pets safe, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said Monday.




    "Based on limited information available to date, the risk of animals, including pets, spreading Covid-19 to people is considered to be low," CDC official Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh said during a briefing Monday.
    Evidence suggests that Covid-19 likely originated in animals before becoming widespread among humans.
    "As of the middle of January, we're aware of 187 animals from 22 countries with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection," Behravesh said, noting those numbers do not include mink on mink farms. She added that no animal deaths have yet been linked to the virus.





    Gorilla at the San Diego Zoo gets monoclonal antibody therapy after being infected with Covid-19



    The CDC is closely tracking research on coronavirus infections in animals and has categorized some animals based off their risk of infection. Animals that are highly susceptible to the virus include cats, hamsters, non-human primates, rabbits, mink and deer, Behravesh said.






    Protecting Pets


    Behravesh said that companion animals, especially cats and dogs, are the leading group of animal species impacted by coronavirus.









    While animal-to-human transmission risk is low, people can spread coronavirus to pets, Behravesh said.
    The CDC recommends people treat pets the same way they would human family members to protect them from Covid-19, by limiting contact with those outside the household. The agency advises keeping cats inside and preventing other pets from roaming freely. Masks should not be put on pets, as they could cause harm.
    Infected people should avoid contact with pets, meaning no kissing, snuggling or sleeping in the same bed, the CDC says. In fact, people who have coronavirus should try to arrange for another household member to take care of pets. If that's not possible, the CDC says people should wear masks when interacting with their pets.
    People who suspect their pets may have coronavirus should consult with a veterinarian. Behravesh noted that among 93 cases of Covid-19 in cats and dogs in the US, 53% showed no symptoms. The most common symptoms reported in animals have been respiratory signs, like coughing or sneezing. Other symptoms reported include fever, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea.
    Pets who have tested positive for coronavirus should be isolated away from humans and other animals, Behravesh said.
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    Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.




    There's no evidence that pets are carrying or spreading coronavirus on their skin or hair, and it's important not to wipe or bathe pets with chemical disinfectants, Behravesh said.
    "Pet poison controls have actually had an increase in calls due to these types of exposures among pets," she said.
    The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved any drugs for the treatment or prevention of Covid-19 in animals, Behravesh noted.








    Last edited by Bogertophis; 02-02-2021 at 02:49 AM.
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  3. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    BTW, this was the first I'd heard that cats & hamsters are at high risk of catching COVID from humans. Anyway, just sharing...
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 02-02-2021 at 02:51 AM.
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  5. #3
    BPnet Veteran nikkubus's Avatar
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    It is so weird to me how news and health officials handled the animal part of the covid thing from the start. They seemed to really want people to think pets could not spread it before there was an evidence either direction, multiple times saying "there is no evidence it can spread to pets", but they also weren't testing animals much till fairly recently. I can only guess they were trying to prevent people from panic.

    I would assume that touching animals would be pretty low chance of spread, even less than an inanimate surface, since coronavirus survives cold longer than heat. Unless possibly a cat that had just got done grooming itself because their saliva is all over? That's probably why cats pass it more than dogs? I really don't know, just some educated guesses. I'm not sure why anyone would freak out regardless unless they keep their animals outside long periods of time unattended though, where would the animal get it from if not their human owners? Maybe that's also why cats more than dogs, because a lot of people let their cats roam around outside. Hamsters though? Where the heck are hamsters getting covid from?
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 02-04-2021 at 07:56 PM.
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    Re: Updated information on COVID & pets from the CDC

    Quote Originally Posted by nikkubus View Post
    It is so weird to me how news and health officials handled the animal part of the covid thing from the start. They seemed to really want people to think pets could not spread it before there was an evidence either direction, multiple times saying "there is no evidence it can spread to pets", but they also weren't testing animals much till fairly recently. I can only guess they were trying to prevent people from panic.

    I would assume that touching animals would be pretty low chance of spread, even less than an inanimate surface, since coronavirus survives cold longer than heat. Unless possibly a cat that had just got done grooming itself because their saliva is all over? That's probably why cats pass it more than dogs? I really don't know, just some educated guesses. I'm not sure why anyone would freak out regardless unless they keep their animals outside long periods of time unattended though, where would the animal get it from if not their human owners? Maybe that's also why cats more than dogs, because a lot of people let their cats roam around outside. Hamsters though? Where the heck are hamsters getting covid from?
    For the most part, pets are catching it from their owners (other than possibly dogs or cats that are allowed to roam outside). I think initially they may have downplayed transmission to or from pets & other animals because I can remember reading that in some other cultures, suddenly people started dumping their pets out of fear & misunderstanding of COVID-19, or worse, killing them outright. So yeah, I agree they were trying to prevent panic.

    In fact, before it was blamed on bats in the Wuhan marketplace, it was initially blamed on snakes (also found in that marketplace). Isn't everything blamed on snakes? We sure don't want that happening any more than it already does, & certainly don't want that over-reaction to a pandemic. We need good information & common sense practices...especially considering that our pets do so much to enhance our lives too. Though if you buy a hamster from a pet store right now that was coughed on by someone carrying COVID-19 & wearing no mask, I guess that could be an issue too, so this might not be a good time to buy a new hamster out of an abundance of caution. The more I think about it, maybe they shouldn't be selling them right now?

    And let's face it, researchers have focused more on the human effects of this pandemic first- we just have to keep listening as they learn more about it.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 02-04-2021 at 08:13 PM.
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    BPnet Veteran nikkubus's Avatar
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    Re: Updated information on COVID & pets from the CDC

    Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    The more I think about it, maybe they shouldn't be selling them right now?

    And let's face it, researchers have focused more on the human effects of this pandemic first- we just have to keep listening as they learn more about it.
    Any time I've been to a big box store the last year, they don't have animals for sale. Not sure if that is just here or what.

    I think focusing on humans is important, but I'm surprised there isn't at least some scientific resources dedicated to figuring out the animal end because of prior coronavirus strains often being transmissible across species. No amount of humans locking down makes any difference if the second we re-enter the outside world we catch it from wild pigeons or something.
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