Did you know you could give your pet COVID-19 in some rare cases?
Shannon Marvel McNaughtWhile the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low, humans can spread COVID-19 to animals in some situations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Guidance from the CDC says people with COVID-19 should avoid contact with animals, including pets and livestock.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture maintains a list of animals that have tested positive for COVID-19. No animals in Delaware had tested positive as of Feb. 12.
Neighboring states have had several cases. In Maryland, two cats and a dog tested positive in August. In Virginia, a cat tested positive in December, and in Pennsylvania, two dogs and a cat tested positive between October and December.
The USDA does not indicate the city in which the cases occurred.
Texas leads the country with 44 animals infected with the coronavirus. However, most of the affected Texas animals were known to have been exposed to COVID-19 in humans and tested as part of a study.
Texas is followed by Utah and New York, with 18 cases each. All other states with COVID-19 cases in animals have six or fewer cases. Twenty-eight states have no reported cases.
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With 58 cases, cats have tested positive for COVID-19 more than any other animal species in the U.S. They’re followed by dogs (41). Other animals reported to be infected are minks (16), tigers (seven), snow leopards (three), gorillas (three) and lions (three).
Some pets that tested positive for COVID-19 showed no signs of illness, according to the CDC. Those who did had only mild symptoms. No pets have died from COVID-19, according to the CDC's data.
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Symptoms of COVID-19 in pets include:
- Fever
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Lethargy
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Eye discharge
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Animals in Delaware can be tested for COVID-19 through a veterinarian, who will contact the state veterinarian to discuss the case before submitting a sample, according to Department of Agriculture spokesperson Stacey Hofmann.
Testing is recommended only in cases where the animal was exposed to a human with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, has symptoms and has had diagnostic testing to rule out more common illnesses.