TOPLINE
A Georgia dog is the second in the United States to test positive for coronavirus, according to the Georgia Department of Health, and is believed to have contracted it from its owners.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 16: A sign shows “Reduce the spread of germs, wash your feet” on … [+]
KEY FACTS
The dog, which was euthanized for an unrelated neurological condition, was a 6-year-old mixed breed, according to the Georgia Department of Health, and showed no signs of respiratory illness.
The test was done “as a precaution,” the Health Department said, since its owners recently tested positive for coronavirus.
Not much is known about the transmission of the coronavirus in animals, but so far there is no evidence to suggest that domestic pets can pass it on to humans.
But that’s not necessarily the case in reverse, as there are a number of cases where humans are believed to have infected their pets.
Dogs in particular are believed to be especially poor hosts for the virus, although cats appear to be susceptible, and cats may even be able to transmit the virus to other cats.
Health officials advise that anyone who has contracted coronavirus should avoid contact with their pets, but if that is not possible, a face cloth and hand washing should be used before and after handling.
KEY FUND
The scientific consensus is that the coronavirus was initially spread to humans from an animal, probably a bat. A study of 100 cats in Wuhan, China found that 15% of them had developed antibodies from exposure to the virus. If evidence emerges that cats can transmit the virus to humans, that would suggest that cats could become reservoirs for human outbreaks, especially if it spreads among wild communities.
TANGENT
Some dogs are being trained to see if they can use their elevated sense of smell to detect a unique coronavirus odor. If so, that opens up the potential that they could be used to detect humans for coronaviruses.
OTHER READINGS
Are you worried that your pet has COVID-19? This virologist discusses the science of animal infections (Forbes)
Can dogs be trained to detect the COVID-19 coronavirus? (Forbes)
