A new study, published in the journal Veterinary Record, has shown that pets can be infected with strain A of the new coronavirus, which has become widely known as the British one.
According to the study, pets can contract and suffer from the effects of the coronavirus. However, it seems that their owners are responsible for the transfer and not vice versa.
The occurrence of myocarditis in animals
The study describes the first identification of the Alpha strain in pets: two cats and a dog tested positive for molecular tests, while two other cats and another dog appeared to have antibodies to the virus.
It should be noted that pet owners had respiratory symptoms several weeks before their pets got sick. All pets developed acute heart disease, including severe myocarditis.
Risk of contamination of pets
“Our study presents the first cases of strain A coronavirus in dogs and cats, and more than ever highlights the risk of contamination of pets with SARS-CoV-2,” said study leader Dr. Luca Ferrazin, a veterinary medicine specialist. We also describe atypical clinical manifestations of serious cardiac abnormalities – something that is now recognized as a complication in people with COVID-19 but has not yet been described in pets, ”he said.
People are “to blame” for transmitting the virus to their pets
In conclusion, Dr. Ferrazin wanted to emphasize that infection of pets with covid remains relatively rare. “In fact, based on our observations, it looks like the virus is transmitted from humans to domestic animals, and not vice versa,” the researcher concluded.
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