抗肺炎飼主須知
在狗狗身上發現新型冠狀病毒??
1.漁護署今天（2月28日）表示，一名冠狀病毒患者家中的狗隻對COVID-19病毒呈弱陽性。在口腔，鼻和直腸樣本中，鼻和口腔樣本對COVID-19病毒呈弱陽性。但該狗隻並沒有出現任何相關症狀。
2.我們知道許多寵物主人非常擔心自己的寵物會被感染，生病或成為病毒傳播媒介。因此，我們想以我們的專業角度作分析以減輕寵物主人的疑慮。
3.冠狀病毒是什麼？
冠狀病毒以其表面上的冠狀尖刺而得名，主要能感染蝙蝠，豬和各種小型哺乳動物。它們帶有正鏈單鏈RNA基因組和螺旋對稱核衣殼的包膜病毒。冠狀病毒很容易突變，甚至從動物傳到人類，也可以變成直接人傳人。
4.弱陽性結果的意思：
就弱陽性來說，結果未必是代表化驗檢測到完整具傳染性的病毒，這可能僅代表病毒存在於狗隻的生活環境中，狗隻接觸到病毒的某部份而令化驗呈弱陽性。
他的主人是一名已經被確診的病人，他家中存在冠狀病毒是很正常的。但該病毒有機會是已經不具致病性的，而正好在化驗中被政府發現。
漁護署使用的檢測是聚合酶鏈反應（PCR）測試，這測試的原理是檢測樣本中有沒有病毒中的RNA。因此，在鼻腔和口腔弱陽性結果有幾個可能性:
1) 樣本中的病毒是已經被滅活(死掉)的，而它的RNA碎片被PCR測試發現。
2) 出現假陽性結果
3) 有活躍而具傳染性的病毒存在在狗隻身上
5.潛在影響或可能性：
a）狗有可能帶有病毒（具傳染性的或已經被滅活(死掉)的病毒）：由於狗與狗的主人常常在一起，因此知道狗從受感染主人那裡接觸到病毒是不足為奇的。但是，這並不代表狗會染上並傳播這種病毒。感染是指病毒能夠傳播到下呼吸道並引起肺炎或呼吸道疾病。根據報導，這隻狗沒有任何相關的症狀，因此，很可能狗隻接觸過這種病毒而沒有被這病毒感染。
b）根據世衛組織和目前的科學研究，沒有證據顯示動物/寵物例如狗和貓會感染新型冠狀病毒（COVID-19）。主人不應該太擔心他們的狗會被病毒感染。 當然如果主人有任何疑慮，請立即尋找專業獸醫的意見。
總結:
沒有強而有力的證據表明狗能成為病毒的帶病者。但是，為了保護您的家人，朋友和寵物不被病毒感染，我們建議你在接觸寵物前後都應以洗手液洗手，在散步期間，主人也應該保持謹慎避免陌生人撫摸狗狗，除非他們已經以洗手液消毒雙手。
-李獸醫
𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃-𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗
𝟏. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝
AFCD announced on Feb 28 that a coronavirus patient's pet dog has tested positive for "low level" of COVID 19 virus. Oral, nasal and rectal samples were collected for testing of COVID-19 virus, with nasal and oral cavity test results as weak positive to the virus. The dog does not have any relevant symptoms.
𝟐. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨?
We understand that many pet owners are very worried about their pets getting infected, falling sick, or being a medium to spread the virus to their families or friends. Please remain calm. Below we will provide our technical opinion to the best of our current knowledge to address the concerns of pet owners.
𝟑. 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃-𝟏𝟗 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐮𝐬: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲?
Named for the crown-like spikes on teir surfaces, coronaviruses infect mostly bats, pigs, and small mammals. These viruses can jump from animals to humans, and from human to another, without mutating or passing through an intermediate species.
𝟒. 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬:
The test, not disclosed in the media release, does not truly indicate if the detection is that of infectious viral particle or part of its viral components. The test could be picking up part of the viral component that is not infectious. This test can only imply that the virus has been presented in the household, which is likely due to its owner being a coronavirus carrier. The virus could also be deactivated and non-infectious, yet still be picked up by the government test.
𝟓. 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
a) Dog is likely contaminated with the virus (infectious or deactivated). It does not necessarily mean that the dog is infected with the virus. As it was reported that the dog does not have any relevant symptoms, it is likely the dog did not fall ill to the virus.
b) Based on WHO and present scientific evidence, there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with COVID-19. Owners should not be overly worried about their dogs being infected with the virus. They should, however, monitor the health conditions of their dogs and seek veterinary advice if there are any changes.
c) There is no strong evidence that contaminated dogs can act as carriers for the virus. However, to protect your close family members and friends from the virus, you should always practice good hygiene and wash your hands with soap and water after or before contact with pets. During walks, pet owners should be cautious and may wish to ask strangers to disinfect their hands with hand sanitisers before petting their dogs.
😌𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐲𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞!🧼🚿
– Dr. Lee
