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Can my dog get coronavirus and can they spread COVID-19?
12 March 2020, 14:45 | Updated: 17 March 2020, 16:40
As COVID- 19 continues to spread across the UK and the world, dog owners are questioning whether their dogs are at risk.
As of March 12, there are currently 129,587 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the world, with 4,749 deaths being recorded.
As well as being worried about themselves, their children and their friends and family, the public also appear to be worried about their dogs.
This comes after it was confirmed a dog in Hong Kong has tested positive for the virus.
But can your dog catch coronavirus? And are they at risk?
Do any dogs have coronavirus in the world?
There is currently only one case across the world where a dog has tested positive for COVID-19.
The dog, from Hong Kong, tested "weak positive" for the virus, and is now in isolation.
Hong Kong authorities said that the dog, who is a Pomeranian, likely caught the virus in a human-to-animal transfer.
The dogs owner also tested positive for coronavirus.
Can dogs catch and spread coronavirus?
There is no evidence that dogs can spread coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Organisation for Animal Health say.
However, if you have tested positive for the virus, people have been told to treat their pets in the same way you would a family member or friend.
This means keeping a distance from them, wearing a mask around them, washing our hands before and after touching them, and no kisses.
If you have the virus, it's also recommended to get someone else to walk them.
