Due to the cases of monkeypox that have occurred in Spain and other countries around the world, many dog and cat keepers have considered the possible susceptibility of their animals to the disease. The truth is that, at present, information regarding this disease in pets is scarce. Therefore, in application of the precautionary principle, various national and international he alth authorities have proposed a series of recommendations as risk prevention measures.
If you are interested in knowing what is currently known about monkeypox in dogs and cats, as well as its possiblesymptoms, contagion and treatment , don't hesitate to join us in the next article on our site.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox, also known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the genus Orthopoxvirus. It is a zoonotic disease, which means it can be transmitted from animals to people. Despite their name, monkeys are not the main reservoir of the disease,but this role seems to be played by small rodents, such as squirrels, dormouse, rats and mice.
Monkeypox was first detected in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and, to date, has been considered an endemic disease in jungle areas of the African continent, where thousands of cases occur every year. Outside of Africa, outbreaks had only been documented in the US, UK, Singapore and Israel, all linked to imported cases or contact with animals from endemic areas. However, Cases of this disease have recently been identified in various countries around the world, with Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom being the most affected.
The susceptibility of some animal species (such as rabbits, prairie dogs, hedgehogs and guinea pigs) has been shown experimentally and in some specific outbreaks. As regards dogs and cats, the available evidence is very limited, although everything indicates that the risk of infection is low due to the fact that, to date, no cases have been reported of monkeypox in dogs or cats
However, based on the precautionary principle, various national and international he alth authorities have recommended the isolation of all mammalian pets (especially rodents) that may have had contact with people who are sick or suspected of being infected, because there is a potential risk of transmitting the disease from people to animals.
Cause of monkeypox in dogs and cats
As we have already mentioned, the causal agent of monkeypox is a virus of the genus Orthopoxvirus. The virus that caused smallpox, a disease eradicated worldwide in 1980, belonged to this same genus.
Monkeypox virus has two phylogenetic lineages, associated with the two most affected regions of Africa:
- The Central African lineage: which has been linked to more serious and communicable disease.
- The West African lineage: Apparently less pathogenic. The new outbreak appears to be associated with this lineage.
Symptoms of monkeypox in dogs and cats
To date, no cases of monkeypox infection in dogs or cats have been reported to the World He alth Organization Animals (OIE). For this reason, the clinical signs with which this pathology could occur in our pets are not precisely known, although it is intuited that the clinical picture could be similar to that suffered by other susceptible species.
In general, monkeypox presents symptoms similar to those produced by human smallpox, although they are milder. The most frequent clinical signs are:
- Skin lesions: macules, papules, pustules, vesicles and scabs.
- Fever.
- Anorexy.
- Lethargy.
Diagnosis of monkeypox in dogs and cats
The laboratory test of choice to diagnose monkeypox is the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), due to its high sensitivity and specificity, although other tests such as immunohistochemistry or electron microscopy can also be used.
Specifically, the samples of choice for diagnosis are skin lesions, including crusts or fluid from vesicles or pustules.
Monkeypox contagion in dogs and cats
Transmission of monkeypox can occur by:
- Direct contact with blood, body fluids, or skin lesions of infected individuals, including people.
- Close contact with respiratory secretions of infected individuals.
- Contact with contaminated objects (fomites).
- Meat consumption of infected animals.
Bearing in mind the possible routes of transmission of the virus, we can infer that the dogs and cats most at risk of infection are:
- Those who live with caregivers infected by the virus
- Those who have hunting habits and may have access to rodents.
Is monkeypox spread between animals and people?
As we have mentioned, yes, monkeypox is a zoonotic disease, so It can spread from people to animals and vice versaAlthough dogs and cats are not the most affected, it is equally important to take the preventive measures that we will explain.
Treatment of monkeypox in dogs and cats
Currently There is no specific treatment for monkeypox, although antiviral agents such as tecovirimat have been recently authorized for use against monkeypox due to its experimental efficacy.
Although there is no curative treatment, in infected individuals it is necessary to establish support therapy to relieve symptoms, control complications and prevent sequelae. Support treatment is based on:
- Fluidotherapy, to maintain the level of hydration.
- Treatment of skin lesions, to prevent secondary bacterial infections.
- Antibacterials, in case of secondary bacterial infections.
Prevention of monkeypox in dogs and cats
As we have mentioned, no cases of monkeypox have been detected in dogs or cats to date. However, given the susceptibility of multiple animal species demonstrated both naturally and experimentally, the he alth authorities have recommended adopting a series of preventive measures with all mammalian pets who have been potentially exposed to the virus.
Main prevention measures include:
- Quarantine: Dogs and cats of handlers infected with monkeypox must be quarantined for 21 days, so that they do not come into contact with other people or animals during this period.
- Monitoring: during quarantine, the he alth status of the animals must be monitored in order to detect possible symptoms compatible with infection (fever, anorexia, lethargy, skin lesions, etc.). Any sign of illness should be reported immediately to the regular veterinarian, who should notify the competent animal he alth authorities.
- Cleaning and Disinfection: All surfaces and utensils that may have been contaminated by the infected caregiver should be properly cleaned and disinfected. Smallpox virus is relatively resistant to physical and chemical inactivation, although there are effective disinfectants such as 1% sodium hypochlorite (bleach), hydroxide solution 0.8% sodium, quaternary ammonium compounds, and 0.2% chloramine T.
