Can coronavirus from China affect pets ? Yes see more

A pet dog in Hong Kong has contracted coronavirus from its owner in what is believed to be the first known human-to-animal transmission of the disease, local health officials confirmed Wednesday.

The pooch was placed under quarantine at an animal facility after three tests confirmed it came down with a “low-level infection” of the COVID-19 virus — though it shows no signs of illness, a spokesperson for Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said in a statement.

There is “no evidence” that pets could be a source of the virus or that they would even become sick once infected, the spokesman stressed. But the department advised that pets like cats and dogs from households of confirmed cases should be placed under official quarantine.

“Apart from maintaining good hygiene practices, pet owners need not be overly concerned and under no circumstances should they abandon their pets,” the AFCD spokesperson said.

Officials first tested the dog on Feb. 26 and found low levels of coronavirus from its nasal and oral samples a day later. Two repeat tests earlier this week resulted in a “weak positive” for the virus, the department said.

The dog will continue to be tested and will be returned to its owner once the results come back negative.

“People who are sick should restrict contacting animals,” the statement said. “If there are any changes in the health condition of the pets, advice from a veterinarian should be sought as soon as possible.”

A coronavirus patient's pet dog that tested positive for the virus last week is now "likely" the first case of human-to-animal transmission, health authorities said Wednesday. The dog was found to have a low-level infection of the coronavirus after being tested repeatedly for the disease, a spokesperson for Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said in a statement.

The department first tested the dog on February 26 and later detected low levels of coronavirus from its nasal and oral samples a day later. Officials repeated both tests this week, finding it resulted in "weak positive" for the virus.

The statement said veterinary health experts were consulted and "unanimously agreed that these results suggest that the dog has a low-level of infection and it is likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission."

PDF about CoronaVirus from Global Veterenary Communety 

Dog Flu - Canine Influenza Symptoms

Dog Flu - Canine Influenza Symptoms

Canine influenza (dog flu) is influenza occurring in canine animals. Canine influenza is caused by varieties of influenzavirus A, such as equine influenza virus H3N8, which in 2004 was discovered to cause disease in dogs. Because of the lack of previous exposure to this virus, dogs have no natural immunity to it. Therefore, the disease is rapidly transmitted between individual dogs. Canine influenza may be endemic in some regional dog populations of the United States. It is a disease with a high morbidity (incidence of symptoms) but a low incidence of death.

Your dog is coughing and congested, listless and feeling lousy – just like we feel when we come down with a respiratory ailment.

Dog Flu - Canine Influenza Symptoms

The virus is passed from animal to animal through “respiratory secretions, dogs can spread the virus through simply “barking, coughing and sneezing, contaminated objects, such as water bowls, toys, food, clothing, shoes and leashes can also harbor the virus and cause transmission.”

This makes areas where pets congregate, such as doggy day cares, kennels and dog parks, hot spots for disease transmission.

But just because your pet has been exposed to a strain of the virus doesn't mean he will show symptoms. Eighty percent of dogs exposed to the virus will develop signs of the disease within one to five days, while the remaining 20 percent will show no symptoms whatsoever. If your dog went to the park a week ago and seems as spry as ever, you’re probably in the clear.

However, like with the human flu, a dog who is not symptomatic can still pass the virus to other animals. Humans who have been in contact with an infected animal can also unknowingly spread the virus, as it can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours, on clothing for 24 hours, and 12 hours on hands, the AVMA explains. If your dog gets the sniffles, take precautions to wash your clothes with warm water and disinfect your hands and any surfaces, to keep the outbreak in check.

Before you’re tempted to cancel all puppy playdates for the foreseeable future, dog flu has a very low mortality rate of less than 10 percent, and most pups will only contract a mild version.

Symptoms

In its mild form, canine influenza can resemble a kennel cough-type syndrome, where dogs could come down with a soft cough that can last up to a month. Your pup may also seem lethargic or down, and have increased eye and nasal discharge and sneezing.

In a more severe form, dogs can have a high fever, develop pneumonia and have trouble breathing, which may cause them to become dependent on supplemental oxygen.

Cats suffer from similar upper respiratory disease symptoms, such as nasal discharge, congestion and lethargy. See the Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXzMn9-GxaI

Diagnosis and treatment

If you suspect your dog or cat may have come down with the flu, contact the family veterinarian for guidance. Avoid rushing your pup to the vet’s office, as this could infect other dogs in the waiting room, and your veterinarian may want to take special precautions when meeting you. Your vet can confirm the virus by running a series of tests. “Usually there is a specific test that looks for the virus itself in the animal’s respiratory secretions, such as nasal swabs — that’s how there’s a confirmed diagnosis.