27: What to do if you have pets?
Q: Can I still walk my dog?
πTracy：Yes. You can walk the dog, but you need to keep a distance of 6 feet from other people.
If you or someone in your family is showing signs of infection then you should use your yard or somewhere isolated from others for your dog.
Q: Will I get infected from my pet?
πTracy: Currently, according to a report by the CDC and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, although there have been very few cases that cats and dogs can be infected with COVID-19, there is little evidence that pets can transmit COVID-19 to humans, except the situation that if they interact with other infected people, their fur and skin may carry the virus. But this is still an active area of research.
Q: Should I avoid touching pets or other animals if I am sick with COVID-19?
πTracy: People sick with COVID-19 should limit contact with animals until more information is known about the spread. Also, if the animals you touch are contacted by other people or animals, the virus may spread by their fur or skin, which can be a problem.
πTracy’s Tips:
The bond between us and pets is very important. Pets can offer people comfort and companionship in difficult times.
References
πTracy：Yes. You can walk the dog, but you need to keep a distance of 6 feet from other people.
If you or someone in your family is showing signs of infection then you should use your yard or somewhere isolated from others for your dog.
Q: Will I get infected from my pet?
πTracy: Currently, according to a report by the CDC and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, although there have been very few cases that cats and dogs can be infected with COVID-19, there is little evidence that pets can transmit COVID-19 to humans, except the situation that if they interact with other infected people, their fur and skin may carry the virus. But this is still an active area of research.
Q: Should I avoid touching pets or other animals if I am sick with COVID-19?
πTracy: People sick with COVID-19 should limit contact with animals until more information is known about the spread. Also, if the animals you touch are contacted by other people or animals, the virus may spread by their fur or skin, which can be a problem.
πTracy’s Tips:
The bond between us and pets is very important. Pets can offer people comfort and companionship in difficult times.
- Place a special muzzle on the dog, if possible, to prevent it from licking surfaces or objects that can be then passed to you.
- If the dog is not wearing a mask for walks yet smells many other objects or places which may potentially be contaminated, you can try to clean the nose, mouth, and paws after going home.
- Increase the frequency of bathing.
- Wash the lower limbs and claws if necessary.
- Keep cats indoors if possible.
- If cats go outside too often, either you have to come up ways to wash or disinfect them, or avoid direct contact with them if possible.
References
[3] https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/latest/blogs/details/-/articleName/how-to-care-for-your-pets-if-you-re-ill-or-have-to-self-isolate-due-to-coronavirus
Writing: Tian Gengze,et al; Proofreading: Debbie Vilardi,Helen Shih,Mingdi Yang; Artwork: Yvonne Xia
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