Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Did my pet's death come from COVID-19?
By Carpenter, Ann et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2021·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Determining the role of natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in the death of domestic pets: 10 cases (2020-2021).
Plain-English summary
This study looked at 10 cats and dogs in the U.S. that died or were put to sleep after testing positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, known as SARS-CoV-2, between March 2020 and January 2021. Researchers created a method to investigate these cases and see how much the virus might have affected the animals' health. They found that in 8 of the pets, the virus was not linked to their deaths, while in one dog, it seemed to worsen its health enough to lead to euthanasia, and in one cat, the virus was the main cause of death. Overall, the findings suggest that while SARS-CoV-2 can sometimes lead to serious illness or death in pets, this is quite rare.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To establish a pathoepidemiological model to evaluate the role of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first 10 companion animals that died while infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the US. ANIMALS: 10 cats and dogs that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and died or were euthanized in the US between March 2020 and January 2021. PROCEDURES: A standardized algorithm was developed to direct case investigations, determine the necessity of certain diagnostic procedures, and evaluate the role, if any, that SARS-CoV-2 infection played in the animals' course of disease and death. Using clinical and diagnostic information collected by state animal health officials, state public health veterinarians, and other state and local partners, this algorithm was applied to each animal case. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 was an incidental finding in 8 animals, was suspected to have contributed to the severity of clinical signs leading to euthanasia in 1 dog, and was the primary reason for death for 1 cat. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This report provides the global community with a standardized process for directing case investigations, determining the necessity of certain diagnostic procedures, and determining the clinical significance of SARS-CoV-2 infections in animals with fatal outcomes and provides evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can, in rare circumstances, cause or contribute to death in pets.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34647475/