By Wayne Moore
The province's deputy chief veterinarian is recommending against routine tests on animals for COVID-19.
In a letter to veterinarians providing guidance to vets on the virus, Brian R. Radke says while testing on animals is available, there are several reasons against administering routine tests.
Chief among those, testing must be the priority to protect human health and prevent and slow the rate of COVID-19.
Dr. Radke also stated:
- The COVID-19 pandemic is being driven by person-to-person transmission with current evidence and expert opinion suggesting that the risk for human infection through animal contact remains low
- In the event that a human transmitted the virus to an animal, the human, not the animal, poses the greatest risk of infecting other humans
- Sampling and testing animals for SARS-CoV-2 may consume the personal protective equipment and supplies needed for sampling and testing in people
- In general, test results will not change the clinical management of the animal or change the recommended measures to manage the potential risks if an animal tests positive
- The mere act of testing, much less a positive test result, risks stigmatizing an animal, or more broadly the entire species of animal. Such stigmatization risks damaging the human-animal bond or threatening animal welfare
- The test performance (e.g., sensitivity and specificity) on animal samples is unknown.
Recommendations from the deputy chief veterinary officer comes just days after West Kelowna vet, Dr. Moshe Oz, reached out to Castanet to say he had received tests for pets.
Along with the above recommendations, Dr. Radke also provided guidance for when testing could occur in animals, consistent with those outlined earlier this week by Dr. Oz.
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