Coronavirus in Pets

Ugh, another article about coronavirus. I know, I know. I’m hoping that things have settled down by the time this is published, but probably not. So let me provide some information about coronavirus in our pets.
There are a lot of coronaviruses out there. Not COVID-19, but dogs, cats and even cows have their own coronaviruses. There are even vaccines developed for some of these. Those vaccines do not protect against COVID-19. Please don’t try to inject bovine coronavirus vaccine in your spouse. It won’t work and they will likely be upset.
Here’s what we know about COVID-19 in pets. There was a 17-year-old Pomeranian in Hong Kong who tested “weak positive” for COVID-19. That dog’s owner had tested positive. The dog never showed symptoms and further testing determined that there is NO evidence that COVID-19 causes illness in pets and NO evidence that they can pass the virus to humans or other animals.
Please continue to protect yourselves: hand washing, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, social distancing, and self quarantine when you are ill. If you do become ill, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that you have another family member provide care for your pets. If you do contact pets, wash hands and do not hug, kiss or share food with them.
Be sure to keep a good supply of pet food and any medication they may need. Stay safe, be kind to one another and again, wash your hands.
For more information about Stevenson Ranch Veterinary Center go to 25832 Hemingway Ave. Santa Clarita, CA 91381 or call us at (661) 799-0655. Our website is www.srvc.com.