The Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) has issued a series of guidelines for veterinary practitioners in relation to Covid-19 and the passive transfer to animals.
This comes after reports of dogs and many feline species testing positive for the virus.
The council has acknowledged that these reports should be taken seriously, but, currently, there are no indications that pet animals are active transmitters of the infection to humans.
Recommendations
The VCI has recommended the following to practitioners when advising their clients:
- If faced with questions from clients who are worried about news reports or stories found on social media, veterinary professionals should be aware that the general population understandably equates the detection of a pathogen in an animal with active and contagious infection;
- Veterinary professionals should be mindful when explaining the concept of “contaminated” rather than “infected” pets, there exists the possibility of the discovery of some hitherto undiscovered reservoir or intermediate animal host;
- Veterinary practices should advise their clients that while the situation may change, that at this point pets are not considered to be active transmitters of infections for humans;
- However, animals that have contact with confirmed or suspect human cases should be treated as high risk of having the virus either on their coats or in their faeces, as well as in nasal and oral secretions. It would be advisable that such animals are quarantined and kept in isolation for 14 days as a precautionary measure;
- Where such animals have to be examined in a veterinary practice, the precautionary principle should be invoked. Barrier nursing protocols should be implemented, and a minimum of practice staff should be exposed to the risk. These processes should be explained to the client in advance in order to allay their fears and avoid unnecessary embarrassment;
- High-risk Covid-19 patients should limit their contact with other animals;
- In keeping with other disease control measures, people should always wash their hands after playing with and handling their pets.
Joe Moffitt, President of the Veterinary Council of Ireland, said: “The Veterinary Council of Ireland would like to commend all registrants who continue to practise veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing to the highest professional standards while adhering to HSE, public health and Government guidelines and operating in a spirit of collegiality despite the obstacles posed by the current pandemic”.
The full guidance note from the Veterinary Council of Ireland can be accessed here.
