Your pet cannot catch the coronavirus. Here's why a dog tested positive

They are your best furry friend and accessory in your home – but could your beloved cat or dog give you a coronavirus?

Experts agree, certainly not.

Why then was a dog in Hong Kong tested positive for coronavirus last week?

Here is what happened.

Last Friday, the Hong Kong Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation (AFCD) told me that samples from the dog's nasal and oral cavities had been tested "weakly positive" for the new coronavirus. It was thought to be the first time that a dog in the world had tested positive for the virus.

The dog – which had no symptoms – has been quarantined and will be tested repeatedly until the result returns negative, the statement said. The department "strongly advises" that pets of people infected with the coronavirus are quarantined for 14 days.

Despite this, the AFCD and the World Health Organization agree there is no evidence that pets such as cats or dogs can be infected with the coronavirus.

Indeed, although dogs may be positive for the virus, this does not necessarily mean that they have been infected.

So why would a dog be positive?

We know coronaviruses can live surfaces and objects, although researchers don't know exactly how long this virus can last.

It is such a concern in mainland China that the central bank has been deep cleaning and destruction potentially infected species.

Likewise, the coronavirus can be present on the surface of a dog or cat, even if the dog or cat has not actually contracted the virus. AFCD tests to see if the dog has been infected with the virus or if it has just been infected with the virus.

"Current evidence suggests that dogs are no more likely to spread (coronavirus) than inanimate objects such as doorknobs," wrote Sheila McClelland, founder of Lifelong Animal Protection Charity (LAP) Kong, in a letter to the Hong Kong authorities, which she shared with CNN.

McClelland said there have been no confirmed cases of cats or dogs contracting the disease worldwide and that there are no published studies proving that the coronavirus test is accurate in dogs.

Can animals transmit a coronavirus to you?

There was similar fears on coronavirus spreading to pets SARS epidemic in 2003, when more than 280 people died in Hong Kong. Experts believe that SARS and Covid-19 probably originate from bats.

Dogs and cats get coronaviruses – but they're not at all the same as the virus associated with this current epidemic, said Jane Gray, chief veterinarian of the Hong Kong SPCA. These strains are of a completely different type and do not cause respiratory problems.

In 2003, scientists stated that your cat's possibility of contracting SARS – which is also a type of coronavirus – is extremely low.

Gray, who worked in Hong Kong during SARS, said the virus was found in a small number of cats, but there was no evidence that they could transmit it to humans. .

according to for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the primary way in which the disease is spread is person-to-person, either from the moment people are close to each other, or from respiratory droplets when 39; an infected person coughs and sneezes.

Is it worth it to quarantine animals?

According to Gray, it is always useful to quarantine animals from a scientific point of view, as this allows scientists to observe how an animal is linked to a disease that we know relatively little about.

"Although it sounds a little scary, it is purely a precautionary measure, and it is certainly not a concern for pet owners in general," said Gray.

Some pet owners in mainland China outfit their dogs with tiny face masks, but Gray said there was no benefit to it – in fact, it's probably painful enough for the animal and could cause it to panic.

Instead, pet owners should stick to the basic principles: good hygiene.

WHO and Gray said owners should wash their hands with soap and water after touching pets. Gray said that if dog owners are particularly worried, they can wipe their dog's paws with antiseptic wipes after a walk outside – but they should be careful not to overdo it, because a wiping too large can dry out a dog's paws.

"I'm certainly not worried about my dog ​​or cats, I'm much more concerned that I catch it from a human who has the disease," said Gray, who is herself same owner of a pet.

What is the biggest risk?

For veterinarians and animal rights experts, there is a bigger problem than the potential spread of the coronavirus to pets: the spread of fear.

After the announcement that the Hong Kong dog tested positive last week, the Lifelong Animal Protection Charity (LAP) – a group that helps get animals home to Hong Kong – wrote to the government, saying that his announcement had caused "enormous panic". "

McClelland, the founder of LAP, said she had been contacted by "countless people" worried about their pets, many of whom feared their dog or cat would be forcibly quarantined.

"In a state of panic, people could abandon or kill their pets," she said. "Other people could stigmatize people who have dogs. Dog owners may face unreasonable problems when they simply walk their pets outside, or neighbors can create problems for no reason. "

In 2003 Reports Reports That Peking Cats Have Been Abducted From Their Owners And Killed By People Concerned About Carrying The Disease, Says New Scientist report. In Hong Kong, there has been an increase in abandoned petting, said McClelland.

In Wuhan – the Chinese city at the center of the epidemic and which has been under lockout for more than a month – pets have been trapped in apartments alone while their owners are trapped outside the city. Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association Volunteers Say They Rescued hundreds of animals left in the apartments.

Furry Angels Haven, a group that works to save homeless and neglected animals in Wuhan, said that "no doubt" there has been an increase in abandoned animals since the epidemic and that animals have been unfairly targeted.

So far, Gray and McClelland have seen no signs of increasing animal abuse or abandonment in Hong Kong. Instead, they have both seen an increase in the number of people looking to export their pets abroad – suggesting that the owners are looking to leave the city.

Why Pets Are Worth Keeping

Rather than pets being a coronavirus culprit, they are actually good to have in this stressful time when many people are stuck at work or studying at home, says Gray.

Pets are probably happy to spend more time with their owners and can help lower people's blood pressure and alleviate feelings of stress, she said. "We know that stress lowers our immunity, and no one currently wants their immunity to be reduced," she added.

This is the case of Marco Leung, a resident of Hong Kong, who has a seven-year-old pet dog. He is not worried that his dog will get sick from a coronavirus – although he has taken precautions such as cleaning his dog after walks.

"I know the dogs will not be infected, but if the virus gets on their skin or fur, it will stay there. So if we are careful, I think it's fine," he said. He works at home, so he can spend the whole day with his pet Hung Jai, which means "little bear" in Cantonese.

"Working from home is very boring, so now I have more time to play together," he said.