Can pets get coronavirus?

The novel coronavirus outbreak has many people worried for their health and the health of their families and pets. Concerned owners in China have even started putting face masks on their cats when outdoors to minimize the risk of exposure. Should you be worried about your pet? In a word, no.

​The current outbreak is caused by a novel coronavirus named Sars-CoV-2, that causes a disease known as COVID-19. As of February 18, the World Health Organization reports it has infected over 73,000 people and caused almost 1900 deaths. That's a lot of people, but let's put it in perspective: the CDC estimates that there have been at least 26,000,000 (yes, million) cases of influenza since October 2019 and at least 14,000 deaths this season here in the United States alone. Companion animals like cats and dogs don't become ill from COVID-19, but it is conceivable that they could carry the virus from one person to another. So a person infected with COVID-19 should minimize contact with their pets to protect other people in the household.

The best protection against viruses is to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your nose and mouth, and use alcohol-based hand sanitizers after touching public objects (like doorknobs). Stay home if you are ill, and if you are coughing or sneezing in public cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your elbow to minimize the spray. 

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But what about other coronaviruses?
There are several coronaviruses that do affect our pet cats and dogs. 

Dog Coronavirus Infections:

• Respiratory coronovirus - one of several agents that can cause kennel cough
• Enteric coronovirus - causes a mild diarrhea is very young puppies. There is a vaccine for this but it's rarely used as the disease is so mild.
• Pantropic coronavirus - caused an outbreak in 2012 in Europe but not the US, this causes severe illness with lethargy, GI signs, and seizures.

Cat Coronavirus Infection:

• ​Enteric Coronavirus - causes a mild diarrhea in most cats. Some cats go on to develop Feline Infectious Peritonitis, an immune-mediated response to the viral infection that is usually fatal. Signs include fever, weight loss, lethargy, and fluid in the chest or abdomen in the 'wet' form of the disease.

So as we all practice social distancing to slow the human spread of COVID-19, there's no reason to panic for our pets. Practicing good hygiene and limiting exposure to sick people and animals are reasonable precautions, but there's no need to fit your cat with a mask. (A disappointing fact: surgical masks don't actually block virus particles. Only properly fitted N95 masks can do that, and those should be reserved for medical personnel caring for sick people. Paper surgical masks will remind you not to touch your mouth and nose while you're wearing them, and do block most of the droplets from spreading to others when you cough or sneeze. So they're the considerate thing to wear if you are feeling ill and don't want to share your infection with others.)