In a UK Government statement issued on Wednesday 10 November (local time), the country’s chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss confirmed the UK’s first case of COVID in dogs was detected earlier this month. The dog in question is currently recuperating at home.
“Tests conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency have confirmed that the virus responsible for Covid-19 has been detected in a pet dog in the UK,” she said.
“The infected dog was undergoing treatment for another unrelated condition and is now recovering.”
An Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) lab in Weybridge, in the south-west outskirts of London, made the diagnosis on 3 November. The dog’s breed and age were not disclosed.
According to UK authorities, all available evidence suggests the dog contracted the SARS-COV-2 virus (which causes COVID-19) from its owners, who had previously tested positive.
No evidence has been found that the dog could have been the source of its owners’ infections.
COVID in dogs ‘very rare’
Ms Middlemiss said that it “is very rare for dogs to be infected” with the virus responsible for global pandemic. She said infected dogs “will usually only show mild clinical signs and recover within a few days”.
“There is no clear evidence to suggest that pets directly transmit the virus to humans,” she added.
“We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will update our guidance to pet owners should the situation change.”
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) consultant medical epidemiologist, Dr Katherine Russell, added that the primary source of COVID infection is still person-to-person transmission.
“In line with general public health guidance, you should wash your hands regularly – including before and after contact with animals,” Dr Russell said.
The statement was issued jointly by the APHA, UKHSA and the UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. It said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been informed of the case.
Tracking COVID in animals
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health’s most recent update on coronavirus in animals, the virus is far more prevalent in humans than in animals.
The SARS-COV-2 in Animals Situation Report 5 reported 234 million confirmed cases in humans as of 30 September 2021. By comparison, just 584 outbreaks detected in animals.
“Thirty countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe have reported the occurrence of the disease, in twelve different animal species (cats, dogs, mink, otter, pet ferrets, lions, tigers, pumas, snow leopards, gorillas, white-tailed deer and amur leopard),” the report stated.
The vast majority were reported in mink (360). However, COVID in dogs has been detected 92 times. A further 102 outbreaks in cats have been reported. The remaining outbreaks in other types of animals were all in the low single digits.
Theere have been no reported cases of COVID-19 in pets, livestock or wildlife within Australia, the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment website states.
For more information on living with pets during COVID, see our Guide for dog owners during COVID-19 e-book.
