Animals Can Catch COVID-19 Too
The zoo announced that at least two gorillas at the San Diego Zoo have tested positive for COVID-19. They are not the first animals to contract the coronavirus in this pandemic, and they probably won’t be the last.
What animals can get coronavirus?
Aside from gorillas, we know that some tigers and lions at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID in April. Studies by veterinarians have also found COVID in cats and dogs that have contracted the coronavirus from their human families. And, perhaps most alarmingly, there have been outbreaks of this disease in mink on fur farms in many countries.
Scientists are not too surprised that the coronavirus can sometimes go from one species to another; Other (non-pandemic) coronaviruses are known to infect dogs and other animals.
Can animals infect humans with coronavirus?
Usually not. Dogs, cats and zoo animals that have COVID seem to have picked it up from humans, not the other way around.
But the minks are different. Minks on European fur farms contracted the coronavirus, passed it on to each other, and apparently were able to infect people . The Danish government, noting that mutations associated with mink were present in at least a dozen human cases of COVID, ordered the killing of all farmed minks in the country .
What happens when an animal becomes infected with the coronavirus?
Some animals that tested positive for COVID showed respiratory symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath.
If your pet seems to be sick, consult your veterinarian. Since cases of COVID in animals are rare, they do not necessarily recommend a COVID test, but may provide appropriate care and advice based on your pet’s symptoms.
What if I have a pet?
“Treat pets like you would other family members,” advises the CDC. This means keep them away from other people and pets that do not live in your home. This includes keeping cats indoors and walking the dogs on a leash so they don’t interact with others when they are out of your field of vision.
Both the CDC and the American Veterinary Medical Association agree that pets do not usually contract the coronavirus; They say it is possible, but rarely.
If you or someone in your home gets sick, keep your pet away from that person. For example, this could mean that you ask someone to feed your pet. If you cannot avoid contact with your pet, AVMA recommends wearing a mask, washing your hands before and after touching them, rather than sharing food, kissing or hugging your pet – for their own safety.