Pets are in turn affected by the “British variant” of Covid-19. Two cats and one dog tested positive, while three other animals showed antibodies two to six weeks after developing signs of heart disease.
- Tested after their owner contracted Covid-19, pets were also infected with the so-called “British” alpha variant.
- The affected dogs and cats also all had suspected onset myocarditis and some developed signs of heart disease.
A study published in the journal Veterinary Record, describes the first identification of the alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic animals, better known as the “British variant”.
Testing positive for Covid-19, the owners had developed respiratory symptoms several weeks before their animals fell ill.
The dogs and cats included in the study also all had suspected onset of serious myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle). The researchers also found that two cats and a dog showed SARS-CoV-2 antibodies two to six weeks after developing signs of heart disease.
Human-to-animal transmission
Several owners of these animals had developed respiratory symptoms 3 to 6 weeks before their animals became ill and had also tested positive for COVID-19.
“We have also reported atypical clinical manifestations characterized by severe cardiac abnormalities, a well-known complication in people affected by Covid-19 but never described in companion animals. However, Covid-19 infection in pets remains a relatively rare condition and, based on our observations, it appears that transmission is from human to animal, rather than the other way around. “, emphasizes Luca Ferasin, veterinary cardiologist and principal investigator of the study.
If he has already established that the animals can contract the coronavirushowever, the scientific community has not yet determined whether the British variant can more easily infect certain animal species, or to what extent it can increase the possibility of human-to-animal transmission.
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