Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Disease Outbreaks/veterinary , Dog Diseases/epidemiology , Sentinel Surveillance/veterinary , Vomiting/veterinary , Acute Disease , Animals , Dogs , Humans , Quarantine , Referral and Consultation/statistics & numerical data , United Kingdom/epidemiology , Veterinary Medicine/organization & administration , Vomiting/epidemiologySubject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control , Pandemics/prevention & control , Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control , Psychological Distance , Veterinary Medicine/organization & administration , Animals , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Humans , Pets , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Societies, Veterinary , United Kingdom/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Companion animals are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and sporadic cases of pet infections have occurred in the United Kingdom. Here we present the first large-scale serological survey of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the UK. Results are reported for 688 sera (454 canine, 234 feline) collected by a large veterinary diagnostic laboratory for routine haematology during three time periods; pre-COVID-19 (January 2020), during the first wave of UK human infections (April-May 2020) and during the second wave of UK human infections (September 2020-February 2021). Both pre-COVID-19 sera and those from the first wave tested negative. However, in sera collected during the second wave, 1.4% (n â= â4) of dogs and 2.2% (n â= â2) of cats tested positive for neutralising antibodies. The low numbers of animals testing positive suggests pet animals are unlikely to be a major reservoir for human infection in the UK. However, continued surveillance of in-contact susceptible animals should be performed as part of ongoing population health surveillance initiatives.