The COVID pandemic should introduce new habits for pet owners

Image 1. The Swiss cheese model reminds us how interventions work together. Every intervention, including physical distancing, use of masks, hand washing, and disinfection, is a barrier to virus transmission (From Roberts and the BBC´s visual team, 2021). And we wonder, could improper pet care be another hole to cover? Figure Click here to access/download;Figure;Figure 1 .pptx 1 The COVID pandemic should introduce new habits for pet 1 owners. 2 Cristina Castillo-Rodríguez and Joaquín Hernández Bermúdez 3 Unit of Animal Pathology Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of 4 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. 5 e-mail: [email protected] 6 7 Introduction 8 The confinement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has substantially modified not only 9 our lifestyle but also the outdoor habits of our pets, especially domestic dogs and cats. 10 These creatures are social animals, they need to exercise, develop their instincts and 11 maintain their biological habits and needs, but the situation has changed, and these 12 changes seem to remain for a long time, as suggested Mike Ryan in December 2020, one 13 of those responsible for pandemic control at the World Health Organization (WHO), until 14 a partial/basic immunization that protects humans from circulating COVID-19 can be 15 achieved (Tilocca et al., 2020). 16 While the different models of vaccines spread around the world, while it is now being 17 discussed whether the transmission is exclusively airborne or can persist on plastic and 18 stainless steel for days as fomites (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC), 19 2021; Lewis, 2021), it is not superfluous to take into account, at present, several tips and 20 precautions to minimize as much as possible the risks of transmission during this 21 pandemic. 22 The severe confinement imposed by the Spanish government in March 2020 excluded 23 daily walking of pets, giving rise to numerous jokes about the times a dog could be 24 outdoors because the regulations allowed it and reported in numerous media like the 25 Daily Mail (2020) "You can walk a dog, even a toy dog. Any dog". Could this, along with 26 the lack of veterinarians on the panel of experts to properly advise on how to do that 27 walk safely, have contributed to Spain is one of the countries with the most infections 28 within the European Union? We will never know until epidemiological studies are 29 REVISED Manuscript (text UNmarked) Click here to view linked References 2 performed. Recently, an article published in April 2021 by Michel Roberts and the BBC's 30 visual journalism team, pointed out that vaccines alone will not stop the spread of 31 COVID-19 and that new measures will be needed, including not only individual 32 responsibility but also other complementary measures of a social nature. They highlight 33 the theory of the “Swiss cheese model” (Image 1) What does this idea consist of? Let's 34 imagine different slices of Swiss cheese with their characteristic holes, each one 35 arranged asymmetrically. Each layer represents one of our defenses against the virus 36 and each hole is a way for the virus to infect humans. The handling and care of our pets 37 could be one of those holes that have not yet been contemplated by society or even by 38 the owners. 39 IMAGE 1 NEAR HERE 40 41 The existence of hundreds of millions of companion animals living closely with humans 42 raises the question of their susceptibility to infection and their potential role in the 43 outbreak. The World Health Organization, the American Veterinary Medical Association 44 (AVMA), and more lately, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control 45 (2021) have noted that pets that are in very close contact with an infected person can 46 become infected with the COVID-19 virus, but to date, there is no evidence that they 47 can transmit it to humans. 48 3 Recent epidemiological reports conducted by Fritz et al. (2020), Tiwari et al. (2020), or 49 Lappin and Marcondes, members of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association 50 (WSAVA, 2021), indicate that infections detected in domestic animals were primarily a 51 result of transmission from their owners rather than from other animals. Given this fact, 52 the study wonders whether they may contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in humans. 53 Epidemiological and biological characteristics of coronaviruses suggest that species 54 barriers to infection can be easily crossed, and therefore it is imperative to investigate 55 in this area. Nevertheless, current research and experiments are conducted on a small 56 number of animals, contributing to the uncertainty that exists at present (Theerthagiri 57 and Yendapalli, 2021). The last report of Lappin and Marcondes (2021) describes that 58 globally less than 200 small companion animals have proven positive cases (cats, n= 96; 59 dogs, n= 77). 60 In recent months a considerable amount of literature has been published about the 61 differences between the two families of coronaviruses (Alphacoronaviruses and 62 Betacoronaviruses), their taxonomy, phenotypes, symptoms, etc. scientifically 63 addressing if we were facing a zoonosis in which our pets could become a target species. 64 The news appeared in various media or scientific articles, about the presence of SARS65 CoV2 in tigers, lions, dogs, and domestic cats that were tested positive (Csiszar et al., 66 2020; Leroy et al., 2020) o lately, minks and ferrets have increased the doubts of the 67 owners. While all these doubts are scientifically resolved, it would be good to adopt a 68 series of preventive measures, which have no impact on our pets but can help pet 69 owners to stay safe. 70 Thus, the aim of this article is not to further explore the pathogenesis of this virus and 71 its clinical characteristics. While more studies are being conducted on this situation, we 72 believe that prevention, focusing on the management of our pets, is the best tool to 73 adopt, as part of global control, and "One Health" approach to this pandemic (Regulation 74 (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases, reviewed on June 2020 and applicable 75 from 21 April 2021). 76 The first point is to carry out a complete vaccination and deworming program that 77 protects pets' defenses. At this time, it is of crucial importance (Lappin and Marcondes, 78 2021). Of course, abandoning pets due to fear is not the solution, it is cruel. 79 4 In our opinion, the detected cases are due to two key facts: 80 1) Being in close contact with people who are positive for COVID: contact with 81 dogs and cats, which includes petting, cuddling, kissing or licking, sleeping in the 82 same place increases during times when the owner is in quarantine. The study 83 performed by Fritz et al. (2020), based on a survey of household cats and dogs of 84 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients, points out a high seroprevalence of 85 SARS-CoV2 antibodies, ranging from 21% to 53%, depending on the positivity 86 criteria chosen. Seropositivity was significantly greater among pets from COVID87 19 positive households compared to those with owners of unknown status. 88 These results increase doubts about the possible role of domestic animals in the 89 dissemination of the pandemic. 90 2) Having stepped on/smelled infectious material thrown in the street (gloves 91 and masks) in their daily walk, an uncivilized practice reported by many media. 92 Masks and face coverings can block virus droplets from coughs, sneezes, and 93 speaking. But even the highest-grade masks still let some virus through (CDC, 94 2021). Porous surfaces such as pet fur may not transmit the virus as easily as 95 nonporous smooth surfaces (AVMA, 2020). Nevertheless, the cuticle of their hair, 96 due to its histological structure (Ahmed et al., 2018), could conceivably carry the 97 virus. 98 How should our pets' walks be? 99 Dogs on their daily walks should be kept on a leash and not run freely in unfamiliar 100 spaces, dog parks or even come into contact with other dogs of unknown owners who 101 may be asymptomatic: aerosols from one individual could be deposited on the pet's 102 coat. It can also happen that a person with particles in his hand touches our pet and the 103 virus gets adhered to the coat contaminating it. 104 Common sense recommends walking the dog in less crowded hours taking into account 105 the above-mentioned measures. Nevertheless, this physical isolation as we know and 106 has been described causes serious problems in the wellbeing of the animal, which are 107 not the focus of this article but are well covered in the report performed by Vincent et 108 al. (2020). One possibility would be to go with other people whose sanitary condition is 109 5 good and who have similar hygienic habits with their pets to the ones we adopt. We talk 110 about the introduction of the “COVID-19 pets bubble”. 111 Cats very often stay within the house of their owners so their risk for contracting the 112 infectious virus from outside is much lower than in dogs (Csiszar et al., 2020), although 113 because of their independent nature, many veterinary organizations such as AVMA or 114 WSAVA, recommend controlling the walks of these pets, especially if one lives in a house 115 with a garden. 116 Importance of hygiene at home 117 For both species, hygiene is fundamental. Considering that the last studies indicate that 118 these animals could act as bridge of the virus (Csiszar et al., 2020), after the walk it is 119 essential a good cleaning of the paws, the coat, the muzzle, and tail with a special soapy 120 humid towel for pets. Ideally, a disinfectant wipe should be used for each paw. In any 121 case, it is not advisable to use the hydroalcoholic gels employed in humans, since they 122 are irritating to them given their high alcohol content, causing pododermatitis. Another 123 substance that is causing a stir is bleach, as the health authorities admit that its active 124 substance, sodium hypochlorite, has viricidal properties as does alcohol. In exceptional 125 cases, a concentration of 0.1% is recommended, when bleach has a concentration of 2% 126 to 2.5%. However, its use is recommended for the disinfection of surfaces that are in 127 contact with the pet, not the skin. There are alternatives recommended by the United 128 States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, 2021) such as mix water with vinegar or 129 or simply use water with soap. Normal routine cleaning reduces the potential for 130 spreading COVID-19 by removing germs and dirt. We recommend being cautious with 131 certain advice that appears in the networks, which have no scientific basis and are 132 ineffective. We should not forget to disinfect the leash, collar, and even the clothes used 133 by the dog (coats, raincoats...). 134 Data from surface survival studies indicate that a 99% reduction of infectious COVID and 135 other coronaviruses can be expected under typical indoor environmental conditions 136 within 3 days (72 hours) on common nonporous surfaces such as stainless steel, plastic, 137 and glass. However, experimental conditions on porous and non-porous surfaces do not 138 necessarily reflect real-world conditions, such as the initial amount of virus (e.g., viral 139 6 load in respiratory droplets) and factors that can clear or degrade the virus, such as 140 ventilation and changing environmental conditions (CDC, 2021). 141 Owners should adopt good hygiene practices (including handwashing before and after 142 being around or handling animals, their food, or supplies, as well as avoiding kissing 143 them) and maintain a clean and hygienic household environment (Lewis, 2021). The 144 WHO points out that “disinfection practices are important to reduce the potential for 145 COVID-19 virus contamination”. It is therefore the owner's responsibility take all these 146 hygienic measures into account, as a part of the Swiss cheese theory previously 147 mentioned. 148 The recommended measures should be extended to food handling, especially if the 149 animal consumes a BARF diet - an acronym for B-iologically A-ppropriate R-aw F-ood - 150 where precaution should be maximized. In our opinion, in these moments the diet 151 should most likely be based on processed food (dry or wet), specifically prepared for 152 pets and tested nutritionally and microbiologically. Despite the rarity of published 153 examples of fomite transmission, Chinese authorities require that imported frozen food 154 be disinfected. The change in guidelines followed a report, which has not been released 155 in detail, that a worker at a frozen-food business in the northern port city of Tianjin 156 became infected after handling contaminated packaging of frozen pork imported from 157 Germany. Nevertheless, the WHO and its panel experts has disputed claims that people 158 can be infected through the food chain in this manner (Lewis, 2021). 159 What about face masks? 160 Do not put face masks on pets. Besides, a mask can be stressful for them by affecting 161 their ability to breathe normally, particularly in brachycephalic breeds. 162 What should I do if my pet starts coughing and sneezing? 163 In these uncertain times, and until a scientific clarification on whether or not pets 164 transmit COVID-19, we cannot prevent them from suffering their pathologies, such as 165 allergies or infections showing symptoms similar to those that SARS-CoV2 shows 166 (influenza virus, feline rhinotracheitis are few examples). If the owner notices 167 respiratory signs in their pets, do not panic. 168 7 Veterinary hospitals are considered essential businesses for emergency care for animals. 169 Veterinarians receive regular guidance from scientific organizations on how to operate 170 during these times of uncertainty (AVMA, 2020; Lappin and Marcondes, 2021). The 171 correct vaccination and deworming program will help to determine if it is an infectious 172 or parasitic disease or other pathologies (toxic, indigestions, tumors, etc.). The clinician 173 will assess the situation and advise you on the best course of action based on the 174 owner´s circumstances. 175 Conclusion 176 Although some virology studies suggest that pets can become infected from humans 177 and transmit COVID-19 to other animals, the potential of transmission to humans from 178 our pets is questionable. The clinical trials that have started and that are in their initial 179 phase will give us the answer to this question in the mid-term. More detailed 180 investigations are needed, carefully tracking who infects whom, and what surfaces and 181 spaces they shared around the time of infection. 182 Until then, it is advisable to take precautionary measures to prevent the pet from 183 bringing the virus at home. The veterinary profession, through advice to owners on the 184 handling and care of their pets, is an aspect to consider. 185 References. 186 Ahmed, Y.A., Ali S., Ghallab, A. (2018). Hair histology as a tool for forensic identification 187 of some domestic animal species. EXCLI J. 17:663-670. 188 http://dx.doi.org/10.17179/excli2018-1478 189 American Veterinary Medical Association, AVMA. (2020). Covid-19: What Veterinarians 190 Need to Know. Available at: https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020191 03/COVID-19. 192 Centers for disease control and Prevention, CDC. (2021). Science Brief: SARS-CoV-2 and 193 Surface (Fomite) Transmission for Indoor Community Environments. Available at: 194 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ 195 Csiszar A., Jakab F., Valencak T.G., Lanszki, Z., Tóth, G.E., Kemenesi, G., Tarantini, S., 196 Fazekas-Pongor, V., Ungvari, X. (2020). Companion animals likely do not spread 197 8 COVID-19 but may get infected themselves. GeroSci, 42:1229–1236. 198 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-020-00248-3 199 Daily Mail (2020). Cops confront man using a TOY dog on a leash to try and cheat Spain’s 200 state of emergency quarantine laws that allows pet owners outside to walk their 201 animals. Available at: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8126695 202 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. (2021). Questions and answers on 203 COVID-19: Various. Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/ 204 Fritz M., Rosolen B., Krafft E., Becquart P., Elguero E., Vratskikh O., Denolly S., Boson B., 205 Vanhomwegen J., Gouilh M.A., Kodjo A., Chirouze C., Rosolen S., Legros V., Leroy 206 E.M. (2020). High prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pets from COVID-19+ 207 households. One Health, 11, 100192. 208 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100192. 209 Lappin, M.R., Marcondes, M. (2021). COVID-19-An update for World Small Animal 210 Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Members. Available at: https://wsava.org/wp211 content/uploads/2021 212 Leroy E.M., Gouilh M.A., Brugère-Picouxc J. (2020). The risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission 213 to pets and other wild and domestic animals strongly mandates a one-health 214 strategy to control the COVID-19 pandemic. One Health 10, 100133 215 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100133 216 Lewis D. (2021). COVID-19 rarely spreads through surfaces. So why are we still deep 217 cleaning? Nature 590, 26-28. 218 Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases. Available at: 219 https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/health/regulation/ 220 Roberts, M., BBC Visual Journalism Team. (2021). Vaccines alone will not stop Covid 221 spreading - here's why. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news 222 Theerthagiri P., Yendapalli, V. (2021). COVID-19: spreading possibilities of human– 223 animal–human and preventive measures. J. Health Res. Open Access 32(1). 224 Available at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2586-940X.htm 225 6 load in respiratory droplets) and factors that can clear or degrade the virus, such as 140 ventilation and changing environmental conditions (CDC, 2021). 141 Owners should adopt good hygiene practices (including handwashing before and after 142 being around or handling animals, their food, or supplies, as well as avoiding kissing 143 them) and maintain a clean and hygienic household environment (Lewis, 2021). The 144 WHO points out that “disinfection practices are important to reduce the potential for 145 COVID-19 virus contamination”. It is therefore the owner's responsibility take all these 146 hygienic measures into account, as a part of the Swiss cheese theory previously 147 mentioned. 148 The recommended measures should be extended to food handling, especially if the 149 animal consumes a BARF diet - an acronym for B-iologically A-ppropriate R-aw F-ood - 150 where precaution should be maximized. In our opinion, in these moments the diet 151 should most likely be based on processed food (dry or wet), specifically prepared for 152 pets and tested nutritionally and microbiologically. Despite the rarity of published 153 examples of fomite transmission, Chinese authorities require that imported frozen food 154 be disinfected. The change in guidelines followed a report, which has not been released 155 in detail, that a worker at a frozen-food business in the northern port city of Tianjin 156 became infected after handling contaminated packaging of frozen pork imported from 157 Germany. Nevertheless, the WHO and its panel experts has disputed claims that people 158 can be infected through the food chain in this manner (Lewis, 2021). 159 What about face masks? 160 Do not put face masks on pets. Besides, a mask can be stressful for them by affecting 161 their ability to breathe normally, particularly in brachycephalic breeds. 162 What should I do if my pet starts coughing and sneezing? 163 In these uncertain times, and until a scientific clarification on whether or not pets 164 transmit COVID-19, we cannot prevent them from suffering their pathologies, such as 165 allergies or infections showing symptoms similar to those that SARS-CoV2 shows 166 (influenza virus, feline rhinotracheitis are few examples). If the owner notices 167 respiratory signs in their pets, do not panic. 168 7 Veterinary hospitals are considered essential businesses for emergency care for animals. 169 Veterinarians receive regular guidance from scientific organizations on how to operate 170 during these times of uncertainty (AVMA, 2020; Lappin and Marcondes, 2021). The 171 correct vaccination and deworming program will help to determine if it is an infectious 172 or parasitic disease or other pathologies (toxic, indigestions, tumors, etc.). The clinician 173 will assess the situation and advise you on the best course of action based on the 174 owner´s circumstances. 175 Conclusion 176 Although some virology studies suggest that pets can become infected from humans 177 and transmit COVID-19 to other animals, the potential of transmission to humans from 178 our pets is questionable. The clinical trials that have started and that are in their initial 179 phase will give us the answer to this question in the mid-term. More detailed 180 investigations are needed, carefully tracking who infects whom, and what surfaces and 181 spaces they shared around the time of infection. 182 Until then, it is advisable to take precautionary measures to prevent the pet from 183 bringing the virus at home. The veterinary profession, through advice to owners on the 184 handling and care of their pets, is an aspect to consider. 185 References. 186 Ahmed, Y.A., Ali S., Ghallab, A. (2018). Hair histology as a tool for forensic identification 187 of some domestic animal species. EXCLI J. 17:663-670. 188 http://dx.doi.org/10.17179/excli2018-1478 189 American Veterinary Medical Association, AVMA. (2020). Covid-19: What Veterinarians 190 Need to Know. Available at: https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020191 03/COVID-19. 192 Centers for disease control and Prevention, CDC. (2021). Science Brief: SARS-CoV-2 and 193 Surface (Fomite) Transmission for Indoor Community Environments. Available at: 194 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ 195 Csiszar A., Jakab F., Valencak T.G., Lanszki, Z., Tóth, G.E., Kemenesi, G., Tarantini, S., 196 Fazekas-Pongor, V., Ungvari, X. (2020). Companion animals likely do not spread 197 8 COVID-19 but may get infected themselves. GeroSci, 42:1229–1236. 198 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-020-00248-3 199 Daily Mail (2020). Cops confront man using a TOY dog on a leash to try and cheat Spain’s 200 state of emergency quarantine laws that allows pet owners outside to walk their 201 animals. Available at: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8126695 202 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. (2021). Questions and answers on 203 COVID-19: Various. Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/ 204 Fritz M., Rosolen B., Krafft E., Becquart P., Elguero E., Vratskikh O., Denolly S., Boson B., 205 Vanhomwegen J., Gouilh M.A., Kodjo A., Chirouze C., Rosolen S., Legros V., Leroy 206 E.M. (2020). High prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pets from COVID-19+ 207 households. One Health, 11, 100192. 208 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100192. 209 Lappin, M.R., Marcondes, M. (2021). COVID-19-An update for World Small Animal 210 Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Members. Available at: https://wsava.org/wp211 content/uploads/2021 212 Leroy E.M., Gouilh M.A., Brugère-Picouxc J. (2020). The risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission 213 to pets and other wild and domestic animals strongly mandates a one-health 214 strategy to control the COVID-19 pandemic. One Health 10, 100133 215 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100133 216 Lewis D. (2021). COVID-19 rarely spreads through surfaces. So why are we still deep 217 cleaning? Nature 590, 26-28. 218 Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases. Available at: 219 https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/health/regulation/ 220 Roberts, M., BBC Visual Journalism Team. (2021). Vaccines alone will not stop Covid 221 spreading - here's why. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news 222 Theerthagiri P., Yendapalli, V. (2021). COVID-19: spreading possibilities of human– 223 animal–human and preventive measures. J. Health Res. Open Access 32(1). 224 Available at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2586-940X.htm 225 9 Tilocca B., Soggiu A., Musella V., Britti, D., Sanguinetti M., Urbani, A., Roncada; R. (2020). 226 Molecular basis of COVID-19 relationships in different species: a one health 227 perspective. Microbes Infect. 22(4-5) 218-220. 228 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micinf.2020.03.002 229 Tiwari, R., Dhama, K., Sharun, K., Yatoo, M.I., Malik, Y.S., Singh, R., Michalak, I., Sah, R., 230 Bonilla-Aldana, D.K., Rodriguez-Morales, A.J. (2020). COVID-19: animals, 231 veterinary and zoonotic links, Vet. Q. 40:1, 169-182, 232 https://doi.org/10.1080/01652176.2020.1766725 233 United States Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA). (2021). Cleaning and 234 Disinfecting: Best Practices During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Available at: 235 https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/ 236 Vincent A., Mamzer, H., Zenithson, N.G., Farkas, K.J. (2020). People and their pets in the 237 times of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Society Register/4(3): 111-128. 238 https://doi.org/10.14746/sr.2020.4.3.06. 239 Dear Editor In relation with the article entitled The COVID pandemic has introduced new habits for pet owners. Wrote by Cristina Castillo-Rodríguez and Joaquín Hernández Bermúdez We declare that there is no conflict of interest. Kind regards. The authors. Conflict of interest