The first findings from a specialist veterinary hospital in England suggested that domestic dogs and cats infected with the highly transmissible UK coronavirus variant developed heart problems in the midst of an outbreak fueled by the variant in winter.
“We don’t want to spread panic unnecessarily, especially as we currently have a strong suspicion of human-to-pet transmission, but not vice versa – and we’re not sure about that. But veterinarians should be aware of this so that they can get started. the test if they suspect a potential case of Covid infection, “said Luca Ferasin, corresponding author and cardiologist at the Ralph Veterinary Referral Center (RVRC) in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, the Guardian reported.
The study authors behind the findings posted before the peer review reported a “sudden increase” in pets showing myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, at the veterinary hospital between December and February. The pets had no history of heart disease and there was some similarity in the cases, involving lethargy, lack of appetite, shortness of breath and fainting in some cases.
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Pet owners started showing respiratory symptoms for coronavirus several weeks before the animals became ill, and many owners confirmed positive PCR tests, according to the study. UK variant B.1.1.7, which is believed to be about 50% more transmissible than other strains, was responsible for approximately 95% of all new infections in the UK on February 7 and was detected in more than 80 countries, authors of the study noted.
“Given this coincidence and the intriguing simultaneous evolution of myocarditis in these pets and the B1.1.7 COVID-19 outbreak in [the] United Kingdom, we decided to investigate SARS-CoV-2 infection in these animals, “wrote the study authors.
The authors noted that previous reports of domestic animals infected with coronavirus documented mild respiratory symptoms, such as “cough, runny nose, sneezing and conjunctivitis”.
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To conduct the study in question, the researchers collected samples from six cats and a dog, and blood samples from four other pets, at least two weeks after developing signs of heart problems. The smear samples were stored in freezing conditions until they were packaged on ice and sent to France for laboratory tests, which indicated that six of the 11 animals under study were positive for the virus.
All pets had a significant improvement after rest and medical treatment, with the exception of one cat who requested euthanasia.
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“Although B.1.1.7 infection in humans appears to be associated with increased mortality or clinical severity from COVID-19, the association between myocarditis and B.1.1.7 infection in domestic animals should be recognized and treated,” study authors wrote. .
Ferasin, the corresponding author, admitted some bias in the results because the hospital treats only pets in critical condition. As a result, the true proportion of pets infected with the variant and having heart problems is unclear, the vehicle reported.
“It is impossible to rule out the possibility that the spill of Sars-CoV-2 was an accidental finding, and it is inevitable that a proposition from any animal population will test positive for [antibodies to coronavirus] coinciding with the peak of the second wave, “said Margaret Hosie, professor of comparative virology at the University of Glasgow’s virus research center, according to the agency.
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Coronavirus infection has been documented in pets and other animals during the course of the pandemic, although cases involving the UK variant are just beginning to emerge, with a cat in Italy making headlines last week after allegedly contracting the variant from the UK of its owners, although said to be in recovery.
If pet owners have concerns, the study’s author advised contacting a veterinarian, and the other specialist, Hosie, warned to be aware of the transmission of the virus from human to animal. If a pet owner is positive for the virus, she suggested staying away from pets and putting on a mask when feeding them to contain the transmission.