With many of us now working at home, our beloved animals are sure to be soaking up all the extra love and attention! Not only is this good for their overall health and wellbeing, it is also a much-needed pick-me-up for our spirits during these unprecedented times.
That being said, if you feel confused about how COVID-19 might affect you and your fur family, you are not alone!
We at Rocket Animal Health wanted to reach out and provide you with the most up-to-date information that we DO currently know.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in people and many different species of animals, including camels, pigs, horses, dogs, cattle, cats, and bats.
COVID-19 is the name of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, which was first observed in Wuhan, China in December 2019.
The novel coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) is a betacoronavirus, similar to MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. All three of these viruses have originated in bats, and since spread to humans across the globe.
Since this emergence, a few domestic dogs and cats outside of the United States have contracted the novel coronavirus from their infected owners.
Last weekend (April 6, 2020) a Malayan tiger in New York tested positive for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) after contracting the illness from its zookeeper. While this is concerning, it is important to remember that zoo animals have contracted various illnesses from their zookeepers before; This is not exclusive to SARS-CoV-2.
Furthermore, preliminary studies from the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute in China, have shown that ferrets and cats are the most susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, while dogs have low susceptibility, and livestock do not appear to be susceptible at all.
There is currently no evidence that ferrets or cats can pass the illness back to humans, and it is important to remember that the MAIN driver of the Coronavirus spread is human-to-human interaction.
The CDC and World Organization for Animal Health have stated that there is currently no evidence which suggests that companion animals can spread COVID-19 to people.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions as we are standing ready to assist as always.
That being said, due to the large number of unknowns in our world right now, let’s take the necessary precautions. The recommendations from the CDC & AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) are as follows:
- Wash your hands after handling animals, their food, waste, or supplies.
- Practice good pet hygiene and clean up after pets properly.
- Talk to your veterinarian if you have questions about your pet’s health.
- Limit exposure to your pets if you are sick, just like you would to other people
- Have a 2-week supply of food, supplements, and medications prepared
For more information, please visit the CDC’s Healthy Pets, Healthy People website and the AVMA resource page.
In regards to the FullBucket supplements, our shipping partners have also been in contact to assure us that they are taking all steps recommended by the CDC and WHO to ensure the safety of their customers and team members. Additionally, The WHO has stated that there is low risk of COVID-19 transmission through packaging.
Dr. Rob, Dr. Keith, Robo & the Rocket Animal Health Team