Pets are man’s best friends. . . Even if you struggle with the worst diseases, including COVID-19, they always stand by you regardless of it. However, research during the global pandemic shows that pets and other animals can become infected with the Coronavirus. According to the US Department of Agriculture, COVID-19 has been detected in more than 15 animal species so far, including domestic animals and wild animals. Will your dog or cat also be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Simply put, it seems highly unlikely that pets will become seriously ill from the Coronavirus and also transmit COVID-19 to humans. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of animals transmitting COVID-19 to humans is very low. And pets don’t live in zoos either.
Many animals in zoos have been given an experimental COVID-19 vaccine from the veterinary drug company Zoetis. The purpose of this was to protect endangered animals or to welcome hundreds of curious people every day. There is also the possibility that the virus may make some animals sick more than others.
D., assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “I think a vaccine for dogs and cats is highly unlikely,” Will Sander said in a conversation with The New York Times in mid-November, and continued: “The risk of disease spread and disease in pets is so low that it’s not worth giving any vaccine.”
But this idea seems somewhat controversial. At the end of 2020, the Danish government had decided to kill millions of mink after it was revealed that animals had caught COVID-19 from mink farmers and transmitted it back to humans. According to the CDC, cases of mink-to-human spread of COVID-19 have been reported in Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, and potentially in the United States. According to the US Fur Commission, there are more than 275 mink farms in 23 states in the USA. On such farms, animals are bred for their hides and other body parts for use in clothing, cosmetics, and other materials.
The New York Times says animal vaccine manufacturers, especially Zoetis, are starting to work on vaccines for minks. The pharmaceutical company, which also began work on a vaccine for dogs and cats in 2020, said in January it had shifted its focus to mink and said it was “not uncommon to adapt vaccines for experimental use in other species.” In July, Zoetis said that more than 11,000 doses of experimental COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to zoos, conservatories and sanctuaries in 27 states.
The USDA is currently only accepting applications for animal COVID-19 vaccines for minks; other animals (such as zoo animals) can only be vaccinated on a case-by-case basis, with USDA and state veterinary approval. Wisconsin Public Radio reported in July 2021 that the state’s Department of Agriculture, Commerce and Consumer Protection approved Zoetis’ mink vaccine in May. Wisconsin stands out as the place that produces the most mink fur in the USA.
Infection with pets with COVID-19 is extremely rare. The FDA reports that “very few” pets worldwide have tested positive for COVID-19. An even smaller fraction of them are actually affected by COVID-19.
When a dog or cat gets sick, they can develop human-like COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough, difficulty breathing, sneezing, runny nose, diarrhea and vomiting, the CDC says. The CDC recommends that you avoid kissing, petting, hugging, or sleeping in the same bed with your pet if you have COVID-19, as the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can spread to pets through close contact. It is recommended that you try to isolate someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in your home from everyone, including pets, if possible.
While your pet may not be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine, keeping track of your own vaccinations (including a booster dose) will help protect everyone in your household, including pets.
The CDC says don’t wear a mask on your dog or cat at home. It also warns that “do not wipe or wash your pet with chemical disinfectants, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or other products,” including hand sanitizer and other cleaners. There is currently no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread through the fur of a pet.
If you think your pet has COVID-19 or is sick for any reason, call your veterinarian (but do not go to a veterinarian yourself if you have COVID-19 yourself). Testing for pets may be recommended if the animal has had direct contact with a person with COVID-19, the CDC said. But veterinarians should be “encouraged to consider other, more common causes of disease in animals, and use clinical judgment when deciding whether to test animals for SARS-CoV-2,” the agency says.
In short, there is currently no COVID-19 vaccine to be applied to a cat or dog in your home. There is no green light for such a vaccine to be released in the near future. Fortunately, these animals are very unlikely to contract COVID-19; Even if they are caught, there is no mortal danger for them.
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