Dogs, Veterinarians, And COVID-19: FAQs And General Thoughts

Dogs, Veterinarians, And COVID-19: FAQs And General Thoughts

Well, dear readers – this is really something, isn’t it? 

Like so many of you, I have spent the past few weeks reeling at the sudden changes in both our daily routines, and in our sense of safety and security about the world.  I know these are anxious times for all of us.

My dogs and I are safely hunkered down at home, eating snacks and watching Netflix – I hope you and yours are safe as well.  Many of our local restaurants here in West Virginia are still offering take-out and delivery services, so that helps!  I’m grateful for whatever small mercies we’re granted right now. 

I wanted to take a short break from our usual focus on behavior and training issues to address some of the most common questions our clients are asking about the current pandemic, and that I’m seeing pop up in online discussions among worried dog owners.  I can’t necessarily assuage your worries about the state of the world as a whole, but I will do my best to provide some factual information about how the current outbreak relates to dogs and veterinary clinics. 

Note that all of this is subject to change as new information comes out – so if there are new developments in the near future that cast some of these questions in a different light, I will do my best to update the post. 

For now, I hope you find it helpful!

Can dogs get sick from COVID-19, or spread it to humans?

Based on the information we have so far, the answer to this question appears to be NO – at least, we don’t think so!  So that’s good news, at least.

You may have heard that there have been two dogs in Hong Kong who tested positive for COVID-19, which is true.  But, don’t panic!  Here is what we know about that, so far: 

Both dogs were living in households with infected humans, and had positive nasal swabs for the virus.  This could mean that the virus was actually replicating in their nasal passages… OR, it could simply mean that there were traces of viral material in their noses, as a result of living in a household with viral particles everywhere.  Neither dog has shown any clinical signs of illness caused by the virus.

(Note – the first dog, a 17-year-old Pomeranian, did pass away from what appeared to be unrelated causes, a few days after being released from quarantine.  The dog was confirmed to be negative for the virus prior to its release.  There are a LOT of things that a 17-year-old Pomeranian can die of, and the dog did have some underlying medical issues as a result of its age – so I wouldn’t consider this to be particularly alarming or unexpected, and so far we have no reason to believe it had anything to do with the virus.)

Now, it should be noted that testing of animals in infected households as been fairly limited so far, so we don’t know yet how common it might be for the pets of infected humans to either carry the virus mechanically (i.e., stuck to their fur, or in their nasal passages), or to have weak, asymptomatic infections themselves.  But there is NO evidence thus far that pets can transmit the disease, or become sick from it. 

So unless we get new information on this in the coming weeks, dogs are thought to have minimal-to-no risk of transmission or clinical infection.  You should probably avoid petting other people’s dogs right now, just like you would avoid touching anything else they’ve been in contact with – but that’s about it. 

I’ve heard of canine coronavirus – is that a thing, and should we be worried about it?

Good question!  The short answer is NO, you shouldn’t be worried about it.

The terminology here is a bit confusing, because “coronaviruses” are a really big family of viruses that includes lots of different bugs, that affect lots of different species.  Dogs do have their own coronavirus that’s species-specific, but it’s not the same thing as COVID-19… and it’s not even all that closely related.  Canine coronavirus causes diarrhea that’s usually mild and self-limiting – not respiratory signs.  Humans can’t get it, and it has nothing to do with the current COVID-19 issue. 

Should I get my dog vaccinated for coronavirus to help protect him during the outbreak?

No – this isn’t helpful, since (as discussed above) the coronavirus that dogs get is a completely different bug than the COVID-19 virus currently circulating in the human population. 

Will my vet’s office still be open if everything shuts down?

Generally speaking, veterinary practices are considered “essential businesses” in the event of a shut-down – so your vet’s office will probably still remain open to see sick or injured patients.  If they do need to temporarily close for some reason (such as a staff member testing positive for COVID-19), other local clinics will still be available to provide care.

Many clinics have made changes to their normal protocol to limit person-to-person contact, so be prepared for this!  For example, they may require that you stay in your car while a technician takes your dog inside for an exam, and have the doctor talk to you by phone about a treatment plan. 

Public health officials have asked that veterinarians cancel or postpone elective surgical procedures to help preserve PPE (masks, gloves, gowns, etc.) for use in human hospitals, so you may not be able to get your dog spayed or neutered right now, or have a benign lump removed, or schedule a dental cleaning.  But if your pet is sick or needs emergency care, this should still be available. 

If you have concerns, your best bet is to call your vet’s office to ask about their current schedule and protocols.

What if my dog needs a routine exam for medication refills, or is sick and I can’t bring him in?

Some states are allowing telemedicine consults right now, as an alternative to an in-person physical exam if there are valid reasons why an in-person visit would be impractical or unsafe.  This means that your veterinarian might be able to consult with you over the phone or via Skype or FaceTime, or you may be able to email photos of the problem (such as an ear infection, skin lesion, etc.) for them to look at. 

Regulations regarding telemedicine will vary depending on your local laws – so again, call your vet’s office to ask about what options exist in your area.  But if telemedicine is allowed where you are, it can be a tremendously helpful alternative if you can’t get your pet to a clinic to be seen. 

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If you have other questions about how the current situation is affecting pets or veterinary clinics, feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer! 

In the meantime, be safe – stay home, wash your hands, snuggle your dogs, and hang in there.  We will all get through this together.  Sending warm thoughts and Sheltie woofs from WV, and hoping all of you are well. <3

10 thoughts on “Dogs, Veterinarians, And COVID-19: FAQs And General Thoughts”

  1. Thanks Dr. Jen. I love your blog and podcast. It has been so helpful, especially the Recall episode. My dog now has the best recall of any dog I know — people are very impressed. As far as the current situation, my dog is having the time of his life with everyone home and getting lots of walks and attention all day. I’m a little worried about separation anxiety issues when this is all over. Do you have suggestions about how to avoid that?

    1. I’m glad you found the recall podcast helpful! 🙂 It’s certainly true that a sudden change in routine, such as humans going back to work after being home for several weeks, can be a trigger for SA in some dogs.

      To help prevent this, you can try to make sure your dog still gets to practice having some “alone time” regularly during the shutdown, even if it’s just relaxing in his crate with a frozen Kong in another room of the house. You can also practice leaving him alone when you go to the grocery store or other essential places I would focus heavily on making sure that you always leave him with something fun to do when he’s by himself (such as a puzzle toy, or long-lasting chew treat), which you can continue once you start back to work.

  2. When I was walking my dog this weekend here in Monterrey, Mexico, we walked into a couple with 2 Weimaraners, me and my dog know very well. They put there dogs on the leash and I asked if they were on heat. However, the man answered that he does not allow anyone to touch his dogs at the moment because of the virus and cleans their paws everytime they come home. You find this a useful routine?

    1. We know that the virus survives best on hard, smooth surfaces – so dog fur isn’t a very hospitable environment for it, and it probably doesn’t live longer than a few minutes after a dog has been touched by someone shedding the virus. But to be on the safe side, it’s probably best to avoid petting other people’s dogs right now (or letting them pet yours!), just like we would prefer to avoid handling someone else’s phone, keys, or anything else that they touch regularly.

      I don’t see any particular reason to clean the dog’s paws when you come home, as the virus does not live in grass or soil and tracking it in from an outdoor environment isn’t thought to be a significant route of transmission – but if it makes you feel better to do it, it won’t hurt anything. 🙂

  3. Hi there,
    This may be a silly question but should we stop walkies for now? Try to exercise dogs within the confines of your own property, even if you’re not required to isolate? (And if you’re lucky enough to have a yard.) If we go walking around the neighbourhood or park but there is hardly anyone around, is it still risky? Could my dog pick up the virus (even just to pass it to humans) just from sniffing around/rummaging in greenery/etc? Or could I pick it up just from breathing the air out in the park?! Perhaps we don’t know enough about it yet and it’s safer to just stay home. I think my dog’s pretty confused about why he’s not going on the usual daily outings… and probably also picking up on my anxiety. Small problems compared to some, I know! Thanks

    1. Not a silly question at all! At this time, I do not know of any reason that you would need to avoid walks. In many areas with shelter-in-place orders, pet owners are encouraged to still walk their dogs and get outdoor exercise, as long as you don’t congregate with other people.

      Your dog picking up the virus from sniffing around in the grass should not be a significant concern, as transmission is mainly person-to-person. It is possible to pick it up from surfaces that an infected person has touched, like a countertop or shopping cart handle, but outdoor vegetation like grass and bushes should not be expected to harbor the virus.

      Studies so far have shown that the virus may survive in the air for a short time, so this could be a concern about enclosed indoor spaces that multiple people use – even if they’re not there at the same time. But I would not expect this to be a major issue outdoors.

      So personally, I would still feel perfectly comfortable taking my dogs outside for a walk, as long as we stay away from other humans. 🙂

  4. Pingback: Covid-19 & the Dobermann – DobermannKeeper

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