What is the 2019 Novel Coronavirus?

Also called COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2, the virus was first detected in Wuhan, China, in 2019.

You may be surprised to learn that the coronavirus behind the current pandemic has actually been around for some time. It wasn’t until the virus made the leap from its original animal host to humans that we took notice of it.

The first infected patients could all be linked to the same local seafood and animal market. Soon, however, COVID-19 spread through communities, countries, and entire continents. This ultimately led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the disease a global pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 is highly contagious and can be deadly for some people. Because the virus was so recently discovered, scientists are still working on a vaccine.

Can dogs get the coronavirus from humans?

After tigers and lions at a New York City zoo tested positive for COVID-19, pet parents began wondering if their fur babies could also become infected. It’s a valid concern as a total of three dogs and four cats (spread out between Hong Kong, Belgium, and the US) have since tested positive for the virus.

While almost all of these pets lived with people with COVID-19, the human-to-pup transmission isn’t a sure thing.

By March 31, only 3 dogs tested positive for COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Additionally, two veterinary diagnostic labs in the US tested thousands of samples from dogs and cats and didn’t have any positive results.

Also, in the US, a pup named Winston famously became the country’s first COVID-positive dog. If you haven’t seen the little guy on the news, take a second to get acquainted with his story:

What isn’t mentioned, however, is that the amount of virus in Winston’s initial tests was low enough that he didn’t technically meet the criteria for a positive test. And following tests actually came back negative.

Given these numbers, it seems possible that Fido could contract COVID-19 from an infected human, but not likely. Still, it’s important to note that there’s a great deal of mystery surrounding COVID-19 and that it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Coronavirus cases surged faster than researchers could study the new disease, resulting in many more questions than answers. What makes things more complicated is that scientists haven’t been able to conduct the autopsies critical to understanding COVID-19’s impact on the human body.

Between lockdowns and the high-risk nature of the disease, opportunities for research have thus far been limited. Be prepared for information to change as we learn more.

Can I contract SARS-CoV-2 from my pet?

The WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) both state that humans don’t need to worry about getting COVID-19 from their animals. There simply is no evidence that household pets can infect humans with the virus.

Still, you should wash your hands regularly, including after scratching your dog’s ears, getting your hand licked, or rubbing their belly. It may be wise to practice social distancing with other people’s pets, too.

Can I travel with my dog to or from regions with COVID-19?

Because the coronavirus situation looks different from place to place, there’s no uniform answer to this question. The general consensus, though, is that traveling during the coronavirus pandemic is not recommended.

If you can, reschedule your trip. If travel is unavoidable, try to find care for your pup while you’re away. This will keep both of you safer and make your trip much simpler.

If neither of these is possible, check with local travel authorities in the areas you want to visit. Contact travel agencies, embassies, and airlines to determine exactly what you need to do to import and export pets during the pandemic.