Is Your Dog Exposed To The Zika Virus?

If you’ve been on the Internet at all lately, you’ve probably heard or read about the infamous Zika virus. As soon as news of this disease hit the media, it has caused fear and speculation. As a pup parent, one of your concerns may be whether your pup can contract the illness.

First, let’s talk a bit about the virus itself. Contrary to popular belief, the Zika virus is far from a new occurrence. Primates have experienced this disease since the 1940s, although they are significantly less affected than humans. The disease is spread through the Aedes mosquito’s bites, which is the same kind that also carries dengue and chikungunya.

The next question will likely be, since apes have been infected by this virus, can animals pass it onto humans? There has been no scientific proof that this is the case, although one study has suggested that an area in Brazil with high rates of illness in humans could be linked to an isolated virus from the monkeys nearby. With that being said, there has been no proper research conducted to see if humans can in fact receive the virus from primates or other animals. However, humans are much more likely to pass on the virus to other humans.

So have domestic pets become infected by this virus in the past? Only one study has ever shown this; a research endeavor done in Indonesia in the 1970s found that cows, goats, and ducks contracted the Zika virus, but they did not become sick from it. No evidence showed that they could infect humans, and no other domestic animals have been proven to contract or become ill from the virus.

We hope this answered any questions you had about the virus! Remember to talk to your doctor or your pup’s vet if you have serious concerns. Share this with other pup parents to spread the word!