There have recently been some news reports raising concerns that pets may pose a risk of spread of Covid 19 to their owners. Whilst there is still much to learn about this new coronavirus, current scientific evidence does not suggest that animals actively transmit the virus to humans. It is true that there have been cases of both cats and dogs testing positive for Covid 19 antigen (proteins). There has been no evidence to suggest dogs can be infected by the virus, whilst it seems that cats may be susceptible to developing clinical disease. However, whilst this shows that cat owners may pass coronavirus to their pet there is currently no evidence to suggest cats can pass the virus back to humans.
Current evidence indicates that animals should be considered a potential fomite, the risk of picking up Covid 19 from them is no different from picking it up from touching an inanimate object e.g. a book, a door handle. The mainstay of reducing risk is to maintain good personal hygiene with regular handwashing. For individuals confirmed or suspected of having Covid 19 it is recommended to try and keep their cats indoors if possible and/or reduce how much they handle their pet to reduce the risk of their pet becoming 'contaminated' with the virus.
If you have any concerns about your pet during the current pandemic please do not hesitate to contact surgery for advice. Whilst as a surgery we are working at a reduced capacity we wish to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to ensure your pets welfare needs are met. We thank you for your patience and understanding in these difficult times.