It is not the first time that coronavirus infections have been detected in domestic animals; in fact, a study published last year indicated that dogs and cats could test positive for SARS-CoV-2, although they did not transmit the disease to humans. However, during the second wave of the pandemic, the Ralph Veterinary Referral Center (RVRC) veterinary hospital in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, (UK) has
reported the first cases of infection of domestic dogs and cats by the British variant B.1.1.7 of SARS-CoV-2, they have also detected an increase in pets with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart tissue that can lead to heart failure.
Therefore, veterinarians have warned that there could be a link between the British variant of the coronavirus B.1.1.7 and heart problems in dogs and cats, as reported by The Guardian. These cases would be among the first infections identified in animals with the B.1.1.7 variant. This highly contagious strain has become dominant in the UK, where it accounts for around 95% of infections, and its presence has been detected in at least 85 other countries.
Outside the UK, another study has confirmed the presence of the British strain in these pets. In mid-February, scientists from Texas A&M University also identified the B.1.1.7 variant in a domestic cat and a mixed-breed dog residing in the same household in Brazos County, Texas. Their owner tested positive for the coronavirus before their animals showed symptoms, and although both pets were asymptomatic when they tested positive, a few weeks later they started sneezing, although according to their owner they are in good health.
Pets experienced symptoms of heart failure such as lack of appetite, lethargy, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, and even serious arrhythmias
Luca Ferasin, a cardiologist at the RVRC, who has led the investigation in the United Kingdom – which has been published in a preprint for the time being – told this London newspaper: “We don’t want to unnecessarily sow panic, especially since at the moment we have a strong suspected person-to-pet transmission, but not the other way around, and we don’t know for sure. But vets need to be aware of this so they can start testing if they suspect a potential case of COVID-19 infection.”
Symptoms of heart failure in dogs and cats
The authors of the study have launched an appeal for veterinarians to pay attention to symptoms in dogs and cats that may alert them to heart failure and, in those cases, test them for the coronavirus, especially if their owners or partners have become infected. recently infected.
The team had noted an increase in the proportion of cats and dogs admitted to the RVRC with myocarditis between December 2020 and February this year. Although it was not a huge number, only 18, it was almost 10 times more than this animal hospital used to see during the same months.
The pets treated experienced symptoms of heart failure such as lack of appetite, lethargy, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, and even serious arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), even though they had no history of heart disease. Laboratory tests showed heart abnormalities and fluid in the lungs, symptoms also seen in human COVID-19 patients.
“The message for pet owners is the same: if you have COVID-19, keep in mind that it can be transmitted to pets, so avoid contact with them and, if that is not possible, wear a mask, for example when preparing your food
The increase in animal cases coincided with an increase in human cases of COVID-19 associated with the B.1.1.7 variant in the United Kingdom. In addition, in most pets with myocarditis, their owner had exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 or had tested positive for the coronavirus three to six weeks before the animal became ill. Many of the pets also tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
To see if heart problems were related to the rise in COVID cases in people, Ferasin collected blood samples and swabs from the nose, throat, and rectum of six cats and one dog with myocarditis, as well as blood from two cats. and two dogs recovering from myocarditis in the ICU.
Of all of them, two cats and one dog tested positive for the coronavirus in their rectal samples, and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were found in the blood of two other cats and one dog. All animals recovered after treatment, except for one cat that had to be euthanized.
The impact of coronavirus on pets
The impact that the different variants of the coronavirus have had so far has not been determined, since despite the 120 million people diagnosed with COVID-19 in the world, very few pets have tested positive for the virus, but this is probably due to because they are not tested and that in most cases their symptoms are mild (coughing, sneezing, runny nose or conjunctivitis), or they do not have any. In addition, infectious disease specialists believe that there is likely to be little or no role for companion animals in transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to people.
It is currently unknown how many animals infected with the British variant could develop heart problems. As Ferasin points out, “We are a bit biased because we only see heart patients and only critical ones”, so this expert advises that “if people suspect that something is wrong with their animal, contact their veterinarian”.
There is likely to be little or no role for companion animals in transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to people
Speaking to The Guardian, Mick Bailey, Professor of Comparative Immunology at the University of Bristol, said: “The ability of the above strains to infect dogs and cats has been established, both in the UK and elsewhere. Ferasin’s paper shows that the B117 variant can also infect dogs and cats, but that shouldn’t be too surprising. Given that it seems to be more easily transmitted in humans, it should also not surprise us that it is easier to infect dogs and cats.”
“The message for pet owners is the same: if you have COVID-19, keep in mind that it can be transmitted to pets, so avoid contact with them and, if that is not possible, wear a mask, for example when it comes to preparing their food,” concludes Margaret Hosie, Professor of Comparative Virology at the Virus Research Center at the University of Glasgow.
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