Texas A&M University researchers have identified a global first case of a dog and a cat from the same household contracting the United Kingdom variant, B.1.17, of SARS-CoV-2. It is the first detection of B.1.1.7 in any animal in the United States. First detected in humans in the UK in December, this variant spreads more easily and quickly than other variants.
The animals were identified through the Texas A&M COVID-19 and Pets study, which sends researchers into Brazos County COVID-positive homes to test pets for interspecies transmission.
On Feb. 12, B.1.1.7 was detected in both pets, a senior black Lab-mix dog and a senior domestic shorthair cat. At the time of their positive tests, neither animal showed overt signs of illness, and all symptomatic animals in this study have recovered without the need for medical care.
“We look forward to continuing our study as the level of human vaccination increases to learn if our pets—which are unvaccinated—may continue to be involved in the virus transmission cycles, including emerging variants,” said Dr. Sarah Hamer, an epidemiologist in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Hamer leads the ongoing COVID-19 and Pets study, which is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study seeks to learn more about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between people and animals, the potential impact of the virus on animal health and whether animals may be a reservoir for the virus.
Researchers advise COVID-19 positive people to avoid spreading the virus to their pets through the same precautions used to prevent human-to-human transmission, such as distancing, mask usage and handwashing.
