WSAVA webinar speakers urge kindness to companion animals testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 and stress importance of prioritization in preventive healthcare during the pandemic
The most recent WSAVA Hot Topics Webinar, broadcast on September 15, offered an update on the impact of COVID-19 on our patients and our teams.
Dr Michael Lappin
Chair of the WSAVA One Health Committee
Dr Lappin confirmed that the virus is a reverse zoonoses with infected humans passing it to companion animals in the very few cases that have been reported worldwide. He also urged veterinarians to encourage owners to treat companion animals testing positive for SARS-Cov-2 with kindness and not to relinquish them.
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Dr Richard Squires
Chair of the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group
Dr Squires reminded veterinarians that, while risk-benefit analyses are always relevant to vaccination consultations, they have never been more pertinent than during the pandemic. He suggested that the priority should be the protection of puppies and kittens using core vaccines with the last or only dose given no earlier than 16 weeks because of persistent maternal antibody interference in some individuals.
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Dr Lappin says: “We hope that the content of the webinar can be used to improve the welfare and health of companion animals and we all look forward to working together to provide additional updates to the WSAVA membership as new information comes available.”
The webinar was kindly supported by WSAVA Diamond Partner MSD Animal Health, which supports the WSAVA’s One Health Committee and is a committed partner of the WSAVA’s Vaccination Guidelines Group.
Further advice to veterinarians on vaccination during the pandemic, prepared by the late Emeritus Professor Michael Day, is available on the WSAVA’s COVID 19 Resource Hub here.
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