URBANA, Ill. (WAND) -- Two pets in New York have tested positive for COVID-19 and many have now been wondering, how common is this?
According to the University of Illinois Teaching Hospital, as of now, there is little worry about this becoming a big issue in central Illinois. However, this has not stopped many from calling-in and asking doctors to see their pets.
"We've had over 4 hundred thousand visits," said Will Sander, Assistant Professor at the U of I Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
He says as of now, he is not prioritizing testing for pets in central Illinois because their have been zero reports of it.
"The risk is so minimal of any pets passing it on to people that it's not worth investing the resources and testing them. Pets can be tested if they have clinical signs and they come from a household of someone testing positive for COVID-19 and we've ruled out all those other respiratory facts," he said.
However, if you are concerned, here are some symptoms you should look out for
"Most of these pets are showing very mild respiratory signs if they are showing any signs at all. Maybe a slight cough or a runny nose," he said.
An additional symptom to look out for is diarrhea, but this can also be a cause of other diseases and they want to focus on those other possibilities first.
Additional information can be found here.
