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Veterinary cardiologists in the UK have a concerning link between heart inflammation or myocarditis and Covid-19 in dogs and cats.
In humans, myocarditis can be a rare side effect of: COVID-19 vaccines. However, the occurrence appears to be much more common in both dogs and cats.
Before COVID-19, only 1.5 percent of dogs and cats were diagnosed with myocarditis; thereafter, this number rose to 12.5 percent – an undeniable increase.
How did researchers find this link?
This increase prompted a study by The Ralph Veterinary Referral Center, which tested 11 animals with myocarditis exposed to COVID-19.
“These were dogs and cats that were depressed, lethargic, they lost their appetite,” says Dr. Luca Ferasin in the study published by FatRecord.
“They either had trouble breathing because of fluid buildup in their lungs as a result of the heart disease, or they passed out because of an underlying abnormal heart rhythm,” Ferasin added.
For the study, researchers tested 11 dogs and cats whose human parents had been diagnosed with COVID. In all cases, the animals got sick within three to six weeks of that diagnosis.
Of the animals tested, five animals tested negative for both antibodies and the virus itself; two cats and one dog tested positive for the Alpha strain of COVID; two cats and a dog tested positive for antibodies.
However, regardless of a positive or negative test, they all had a diagnosis of myocarditis. More worryingly, none showed the typical signs of COVID that most laymen (you, me) use to identify the disease.
A sleeping sickness, lurking in the shadow of COVID?
(Photo credit: xavierarnau/Getty Images)
Veterinary virologist, Margaret Hosie, from the MRC-University of Glasgow Center for Virus Research, expressed a major concern with NBC News.
Hosie said it will not be covered in the study, or not yet known, if primary care practices see this increase. “But maybe that’s because those vets don’t know it’s a possibility,” she said.
In other words, awareness of the potential link between COVID and myocarditis is critical. Knowing to ask about exposure to COVID is becoming more commonplace among veterinarians, and so much is still unknown about the long-term effect of the disease.
Pet parents should remain vigilant
All pets involved in this study, with the exception of one, fully recovered, per Ferasin. And the resurgence of myocarditis has returned to pre-COVID levels.
However, both Ferasin and Hosie advise pet parents to remain vigilant and informed and limit exposure to their pets if they become ill.
“If it is not possible to have someone else take care of their pet, they should consider wearing a mask when preparing their food to minimize the chance of contamination,” Hosie advised.
Virus mutation is still very much a concern, and animals can become viral reservoirs, Hosie continued.
“Of course we’re now focusing on preventing human-to-human transmission because that’s crucial,” she said. “But if we kept an eye on other species, we could have problems in the future.”
DogTime has a full guide to the Symptoms, Causes and Treatments of Myocarditis in Dogs Here. If you notice any symptoms in your dog, schedule a vet visit as soon as possible.
Did your dog get sick with myocarditis during the COVID pandemic? Do you take steps to protect your pets if you get sick? Let us know in the comments below.
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