Second Dog in Hong Kong test Positive for Coronavirus

A second pet dog tested positive for the COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Health officials analyzed oral and nasal swabs from a 2-year-old German shepherd and another dog from the same home in Pok Fu Lam, a residential district of Hong Kong. The German shepherd’s results confirmed the presence of the coronavirus, but the dog remained asymptomatic. The other dog’s tests came back clean. The dogs are kept in quarantine. Hong Kong’ Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department health officials told the South China Morning Post that they believed this to be another case of human-to-dog transmission.

 “No positive results were obtained from the mixed-breed dog and neither dog has shown any signs of disease,” it said. “The department will continue to closely monitor both dogs and conduct repeated tests on the animals.

The department reminded pet owners to use good hygiene practices, including washing hands before and after being around or handling animals, their food and supplies, and to avoid kissing them.

Mammalian pets should be put under quarantine in department facilities if a person in their household becomes infected, it said, adding that there is no evidence that pet animals can be a source of Covid-19 for humans or that the virus can cause the disease in dogs.

The case comes after a 17-year-old Pomeranian was tested “weak positive” during repeated tests for the virus, according to the statement. That dog died two days after it was released from quarantine.

The department said the cause of death couldn’t be determined after the owner, who recently recovered from a coronavirus infection, declined to conduct an autopsy.