By Kelley Kombrinck
2020 brought a lot of unrest and anxiety to people all over the globe, and the events that shaped that unease came in many shapes and sizes. One of the most harrowing for us humans has been the worldwide pandemic caused by Covid-19, otherwise known as SARS-Cov 2 or Coronavirus. It is an extremely contagious and infectious disease that can seemingly attack any system in the body. The effects can fall anywhere on a broad spectrum of severity that includes having no symptoms at all, feeling like one has a mild flu, or in the worst cases, death from complications caused by the virus. Social and physical distancing has become phrases we’ve come to hear almost daily. Humans are social animals and so it’s no surprise that we’ve had difficulty adjusting to this situation as a species. It’s hard for us to stay away from one another and to stay indoors. We crave face-to-face interaction and experiences beyond our front doors. What about other species’, however? When it comes to our dogs and Covid-19, what do we need to know? How has the coronavirus affected our animal friends and how do we protect them? Experts believe that Covid-19 originated in an animal (most likely a bat, according to the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/animals.html), but can it be spread from humans back to animals? Could we be spreading the virus to our pets? Can they, in turn, infect us?
The good news is the likelihood of us contracting Covid-19 from our dogs is very slim. The virus seems mostly transmitted through respiratory droplets, spread it via sneezes, coughs and talking in close proximity to one another. From the same page on the CDC website linked above:
“Based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low.”
What about us passing it on to our beloved fur-babies? What is the risk there?
In May of 2020, a German Shepherd named Buddy became the first dog in the US to test positive for Covid-19. His owner had contracted the coronavirus the previous month and noticed that the dog was showing signs of illness. A veterinarian was able to confirm that Buddy did indeed have the virus. Sadly, in July of 2020, Buddy passed away from lymphoma, but vets were unable to determine whether this was related to the virus, or if complications from his cancer were coincidental to the infection.
This story and a few other like it sent cold tendrils of panic slipping down the spines of dog lovers everywhere. It was hard enough worrying about infecting our most vulnerable human family and friends, but now it seems, we may also have to worry about making our pets sick.
The information we have is obviously limited and the story grows and changes every day, but the CDC advises treating pets similarly to humans in regard to distancing. They’ve released some general guidelines about how best to avoid spreading the coronavirus to our dogs.
We all want the best for our dogs, they are special and precious, and we strive to do what we can to keep them safe and healthy. Thankfully, it seems that doesn’t seem very common to spread the virus to our pets, but it can, and does, happen from time to time. We are learning more as time goes on about how the coronavirus spreads and the effects it can have on both humans and animals. To stay up to date on coronavirus as it applies to our animal friends, consult the CDC page HERE.
Do what you can to keep yourself safe and healthy, and you will be going a long way to ensure the same for your dog.
Connect with Your Local Pet Safety Experts at Pet Stop. Visit, call, or
chat with us – we’re here to help you create the ultimate safe haven for your pet.
Get a Free quote
Name *
Zip code where new fence is required *
Preferred contact method *
Phone Number to Call/Text *
Brief introduction to the OT-300, highlighting remote control, real-time notifications, and easy setup through the Pet Stop Link App.
Download the App