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      • How To Join
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      • Books
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      • Breeder Selection Tips
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      • Breeder Directory
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      • Pug Rescue Directory
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PDCA Statement regarding dog not infected with
SARS-CoV-2 in North Carolina for PDCA Membership

​Kathleen L. Smiler, DVM, DACLAM
Health Committee Chair, Pug Dog Club of America
May 30, 2020 12:00 noon
Download Document
The dog is now considered not infected with COVID-19 as of May 30, 2020.
 
On April 28, 2020 a news story appeared that a dog had been identified as testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 (as COVID-19 is referred to in animals) in a household where the family members had COVID-19 infections.
  • This was potentially the first dog detected with SARS-CoV-2 in the United States
  • A confirmed diagnosis may have influenced family pets to be surrendered by their owners.
  • This may have impacted the understanding of transmission of COVID-19.
  • It became extremely important that the appropriate USA agencies legally responsible for confirmation of infection in an animal be involved.
  • Initially the USDA National Veterinary Service Laboratories (NVSL) had not been involved, and this resulted in delays and confusion regarding this dog’s infection.
  • Unfortunately, this dog was a pug. The breed of dog initiated additional speculation regarding susceptibility to infection.
The Health Committee did post notice of the media coverage of the pug on the Official Pug Dog Club of America Members Only Facebook page on April 28, 2020.  An evening webinar was scheduled and advertised by other members as having an update about the dog and this was put on the Official Facebook Page also. The most credible source of information regarding COVID -19 infection in a domestic dog is currently the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). They coordinate reports from the CDC, NVSL, and the OIE. Between April 30, 2020 and May 28, 2020 there was no further official information. As of April 30, 2020, the AVMA and Federal websites have been now updated and the information is official.
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19/depth-summary-reports-naturally-acquired-sars-cov-2-infections-domestic-animals-and-farmed-or    (accessed 11:52 am 5.30.20)
 SECTION 4: PET DOG (PUG) IN USA (NORTH CAROLINA)
On April 28, 2020, a local news station reported that a pug in North Carolina had tested positive for COVID-19. This dog was one of three pets (2 dogs and a cat) belonging to a family in which 3 of the 4 family members were confirmed to have COVID-19 in March. All 3 had recovered by April 1 when they joined a new COVID-19 study being conducted by Duke University. Blood and oral and nasal swab specimens were collected from the human family members, and oral swab specimens from the three pets on April 1. The samples from the pets were tested, using a SARS-CoV-2 specific RT-PCR assay. Only the sample collected from the pug tested positive. Although the owners had noted the pug acting mildly ill while they were sick with COVID-19, it is not clear whether the clinical signs in the dog were related to SARS-CoV-2.
Additional samples, including oral and rectal swab specimens and blood, were collected from the three pets in the household by public health veterinarians and subsequently submitted to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) for confirmatory testing.
On May 27, the USDA reported that the NVSL had conducted confirmatory testing but was unable to verify infection in the Pug. No virus was isolated, and there was no evidence of an immune response using the available tests. It was suggested that the weak detection by PCR from the original oral swab might be the result of contamination from the COVID-19 positive household.
Because confirmatory testing did not verify infection in the Pug, the USDA did not submit a report to the OIE.
This case exemplifies why it is critical for confirmatory testing to be completed before reaching a final conclusion as to whether a pet is truly infected with SARS-CoV-2.
 
It is important that PDCA members return to the AVMA, USDA, and CDC websites for timely information. Carefully review the date of any other information on the internet.
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19/testing-animals-sars-cov-2
Routine testing of animals for COVID-19 is not recommended by the AVMA, CDC, USDA, American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD), National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV), or the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials. Because the situation is ever-evolving, public and animal health officials may decide to test certain animals. In the United States, the decision to test should be made collaboratively between the attending veterinarian and local, state, and/or federal public health and animal health officials.
Current expert understanding is that SARS-CoV-2 is primarily transmitted person-to-person. At this time, there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2. And, based on the limited data available, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low. We are still learning about the virus, but it appears that in rare instances, people can spread the virus to certain animals (see "SARS-CoV-2 in animals" for more information). Further studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by the virus.
Approved by the PDCA BOD __ June 2, 2020_______
Kathleen Smiler, DVM, DACLAM version 5.30.20 1
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