Headlines

Nearly 100 Dogs and Cats Have Had COVID-19 in US

Most cases occurred after close contact with an infected person.

Published

2 years ago

March 15, 2021

PETS+ Staff

Nearly 100 pet dogs and cats have been infected with COVID-19 in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most of the cases occurred after close contact with an infected person.

The agency noted: “Based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low.”

At the same time, CDC stated, “It appears that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread from people to animals in some situations.”

Infected pets might get sick or might not have symptoms. Of the pets that have gotten sick, most had mild illness and fully recovered.

During the pandemic, the CDC advises not letting pets interact with people outside the household. And if a person inside your household becomes sick, isolate that person from everyone else, including pets.

Other recommendations from the agency:

Keep cats indoors when possible and do not let them roam freely outside.
Avoid public places where a large number of people gather.
Do not put a mask on pets. Masks could harm your pet.

There is no evidence that the virus can spread to people from the skin, fur, or hair of pets, according to CDC.

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