COVID-19 IN ANIMALS: REALITY OR RUMOR?
Special Update from I’m-Yunity®
On April 22, The New York Times reported “2 Cats in NY Become First US Pets to Test Positive for Virus”. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the two cats contracted the virus from either people in their households or neighborhoods, and they are expected to recover from mild respiratory symptoms.
COVID-19 has hit the world hard, and it seems like none of the nations were well-prepared to control this pandemic. It continues to bring damages all over the world, affecting more than one million human beings so far.
Now, animals have also come under the radar of COVID-19. This came as a shock because it was first believed that the pandemic was only affecting humans, but later it was discovered that pets were catching the virus from their owners, and so did other animals in different parts of the world.
Let’s take a look at the animals that have been tested positive for this virus hovering around.
02/28/2020 - A Pomeranian Dog in Hong Kong
A pet Pomeranian dog was the very first animal to catch the novel coronavirus. The dog was living with a person who was carrying the virus and later tested positive for it. The dog was then self-isolated to further stop the spread of the virus. Other pets from the same house were also quarantined and remained under observation for some time.
Surprisingly and unfortunately, the dog only survived for two more days after returning safely from the quarantine. The only way to figure out the real cause of his death was postmortem at this stage, but the owner refused.
It should also be noticed that the dog was 17 years old and was suffering from an advanced cardiac disease. These reasons probably contributed to the sudden death.
03/18/2020 - A German Shepherd in Hong Kong
A two-year-old German Shepherd was living with a COVID-19 positive individual, so it was quite predictable for the dog to catch the virus as well. Upon knowing, the dog was immediately sent to quarantine as it is the only suitable option for those struggling with the infection.
To be on the safer side, another dog from the same house was also quarantined even though he had been tested negative for the virus. It is also important to know that the dog was asymptomatic, so all pet owners need to understand the gravity of this situation to control it early on.
03/27/2020 - A Cat in Belgium
It was hard to digest that two beautiful dogs contracted the virus. It created a wave of panic among pet owners, but the wave had a long way to go. A cat in Belgium tested positive in the last week of March. Again, this was a case of human-to-animal transmission as the cat’s owner was suffering from it.
The owner had contracted the virus after traveling to Italy which is one of the worst-hit areas. The virus level in the cat was on the higher side, and it was then the world realized that cats are more likely to catch the virus if they come in contact with COVID-19 positive individuals.
04/03/2020 - A Cat in Hong Kong
The anxiety-inducing news for pet owners hadn’t ended when on April 3rd, reports revealed that a cat in Hong Kong had contracted the virus. The cat's owner was known to suffer from the virus and hence it is safe to say that it was human-to-animal transmission.
The cat was originally quarantined when the symptoms were first noticed. The cat was tested multiple times over several days, confirming unfortunately, that the cat was indeed positive for COVID-19.
No doubt, it's heart-wrenching news for every cat owner.
04/05/2020 - Tigers and Lions at the Bronx Zoo
Who would have thought that the animals living in the zoo with other animals would also join what looks like a bandwagon? On April 5th, a report regarding a Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City came to surface. Later three other tigers and lions also showed symptoms and tests confirmed they all had the virus.
During the last week of March, the zookeepers witnessed the tiger experiencing the common coronavirus symptoms which included a dry cough and lack of appetite. It turned out that the tiger’s caretaker had been carrying the virus with only mild symptoms.
The news is somewhat surprising because the zoo and other public places are closed indefinitely at this time, but you never know which one of the animal keepers are carrying the virus.
This virus remains a mystery!
Although there are quite a few animals who caught the disease, there's one thing in common that should be a cause for concern for all of us.
We have noticed that all of the animals that reported positive for COVID-19 caught the virus from people carrying the virus. This should now be taken seriously as it suggests that you will need to socially distance yourself from your pets as well.
There must be many more cases of human-to-animal transmission of COVID-19 that have not been reported yet. Lack of general awareness, no clinical symptoms, and lack of testing are three major reasons behind so few reported cases.
There are some who maintain the opinion that pets that contract the coronavirus from humans will likely have moderate to low symptoms. On the other hand, we believe that it is too soon to say anything conclusively.
It is true that the world has not seen a disease with such a fast rate of transmission before. It is new for all scientists, paramedics, and researchers. The disease is spreading like wildfire and none of us know when it is likely to end and when life will return to normal.
We urge pet owners to take preventive measures for themselves and for their animal friends as well.
What kind of people, pets or animals are more likely to catch the virus?
As of right now, we don’t know for sure which animals are more prone to get infected with the virus due to the limited number of cases reported and tested. However, we did learn from human infections that, older people with pre-existing health conditions, people with weaker immune system, asthma, and other underlying medical conditions are groups that at higher risk for serious illness. Since there isn’t a cure or vaccine readily available yet, we want to remind especially those who have aging dogs and cats and/or have underlying medical conditions to take special precautions and preventive measures.
What you can do to keep your pet healthy and safe?
The short answer is: Reduce infection risks and boost immunity!
Take good care of your hygiene and the hygiene of your pets. Stay clean and wash your hands regularly.
Give an immune-boosting diet and supplements to your pet and yourself so that both of your immunity is more ready to fight off symptoms at any time.
Make sure the animal is well hydrated at all times as dehydration can elevate the risk of catching viruses.
Quarantine yourself and your pet as soon as you know you have interacted with anyone with COVID-19, even if the interaction lasted only a few minutes.
Keep a close watch on your pet’s health and have over-the-counter medicines ready at home and check in with your vet. At this point, delaying any treatment can lead to serious consequences.
The CDC website also has published useful information on COVID-19 and animals. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/animals.html
So far, there have only been a small number of known COVID-19 cases in animals around the world,. Scientists have been paying close attention to look at links between humans and animals, as well as the possibility of animal-to-animal transmission. Further testing and confirmed cases are needed to determine whether pets and livestock can spread COVID-19 to people or to other animals.
Here are some ways to keep your pets from catching the novel coronavirus:
Keep your pets away from other animals and human beings by keeping them indoors as much as possible.
When walking your dog, maintain a 6-feet distance from other people.
Avoid taking your pets to public parks with high footfall.
Don’t interact with your pet if you have traveled in the past two weeks or if you are showing any kind of symptoms.
Put someone trustworthy in charge of your pet if you are sick and if that’s not possible, make sure you cover your face and wash your hands before and after interacting with your pets.
Avoid snuggling or kissing your pets as much as possible.
In case your pet still catches the virus or any other disease, CDC suggests to avoid taking the animal to the vet yourself, especially if you are also suffering from COVID-19. It is best to call the doctor and have the medicine prescribed over the phone. Some vets are also willing to visit your home in such a scenario.
Moreover, we suggest you have contact details of as many veterinary facilities with you. The pandemic is here for some time, so it is about time we adopt a proactive approach rather than a reactive one.
We are here and I’m-Yunity® cares!
By now, we all know that COVID-19 is dangerously contagious, so even a minor risk can cause your loved ones to become a victim of it anytime. The need for more caution and care is important at this time, even if you and your pet are healthy. Since the coronavirus has shown an exponential growth rate, all it would take is a little carelessness to make you and your pets a victim.
We received a tremendous response from the last COVID-19 update. Many people asked us if people can take I’m-Yunity® like their pets. The answer is yes, I’m-Yunity® was first developed for humans and later found in studies and clinical trials that it also helps to boost the immune system in animals.
I’m-Yunity® can be taken daily in low doses for a stronger immune system!
The most cautious and safest thing you can do at a time is to boost your immune health. The curve is likely to flatten earlier than expected if you continue to take aggressive precautionary measures for the safety of your pets and loved ones.
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Please reach out to us with any questions you may have.
We are all in this together, so discuss hygiene and safety with your community to make effective precautionary plans. We think better when we are calm and positive, so please know that you are not alone. We are seeing every day the amazing levels of support we can extend to each other, so be brave and reach out for help when you need it, provide help where you can, and remember, this too shall pass!