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Coronaviruses/COVID-19 and your pets – what you need to know
Our vets provide their expertise on what you need to know about the Coronavirus/COVID-19
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What is a Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which can cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the recently identified COVID-19.
What is COVID-19 and can it infect pets?
COVID-19 is the disease caused by the recently identified coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 was unknown before the recent outbreak identified late last year.
Currently there is no evidence suggesting that dogs and cats can be a source of infection for COVID-19, or that they can become sick from the COVID-19 virus. COVID-19 is currently spreading through human to human transmission. However, it is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets. This helps protect against various common bacteria, such as E. coli and Salmonella, that can pass between pets and humans.
There is a single dog in Hong Kong which tested a weak positive to the COVID-19 virus, however it is still being investigated whether this positive test result was due to environmental contamination or if the dog was truly infected. It is important to note the dog was not showing any signs of disease. This is an evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available from the relevant human health and veterinary bodies.
Do dogs and cats suffer illness from any coronaviruses?
Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIP) and canine coronavirus (CCV) are two coronaviruses which have been unfortunately present and causing disease in dog and cat populations for a long time. It is important to note that FIP and CCV are distinctly different and separate to the COVID-19 virus causing the current disease outbreak with humans. CCV generally causes mild gastroenteritis in dogs, and FIP is a progressive and invariably fatal systemic disease of domestic cats. Both cannot cause illness in people.
Does Petsy Pet Insurance provide cover for COVID-19 or other coronaviruses?
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and canine coronavirus (CCV) are assessed as Illness conditions under a Petsy Pet Insurance policy and are generally eligible for cover under Illness subject to the exclusion periods and provided the condition is not pre-existing.
It is important to remember, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and veterinary bodies have advised currently there is no evidence dogs and cats can become sick from COVID-19. If there are any developments in relation to COVID 19 impacting dogs and cats, we will do our best to keep our customers informed.
Rest assured if your pet is currently displaying symptoms of coughing, respiratory issues or a fever/elevated temperature, you should seek veterinary advice, and know these conditions are generally coverable under your policy provided there were no signs or symptoms that occurred prior to the start of cover or during any applicable exclusion periods (and therefore considered a pre existing condition under the policy and excluded from cover).
What are vaccine preventable diseases?
Vaccine preventable diseases relate to known infectious diseases caused by either bacteria and/or viruses where the risk can be reduced by the use of vaccines.
These diseases include in dogs;
- Canine distemper virus (CDV)
- Canine adenovirus (CAV)
- Canine parvovirus (CPV-2)
- Parainfluenza virus (PI)
- Bordetella bronchiseptica (Bb) and
- Leptospira interrogans
In cats these diseases are:
- Feline Parvovirus (FPV)
- Feline calicivirus (FCV)
- Feline herpesvirus (FHV-1)
- Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)
- Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and
- Chlamydia felis
Does Petsy Pet Insurance cover vaccine preventable diseases?
With a Petsy Pet Insurance policy, we over coverage for a list of vaccine preventable diseases if you can provide sufficient evidence that your pet is up to date with their vaccinations. Vaccinatable diseases are not covered if the pet is not up to date with
vaccinations at the time of first occurrence of and at the time of treatment of a vaccinatable disease and/or related illness.
If I am quarantined or hospitalised due to COVID-19 and can’t take care of my pet, can I seek assistance for emergency boarding?
If during the Period of Insurance, You are unexpectedly hospitalised for four (4) or more consecutive days, and it is not reasonable for someone who lives with You to look after Your Pet and is therefore necessary for Your Pet to board at a licensed kennel or cattery, We will reimburse a portion of Your incurred boarding costs for a
period of up to thirty (30) days up to the Benefit Percentage, subject to the Annual Excess and Annual Limit as shown in Your Certificate of Insurance.
If you are not hospitalised and are simply quarantined at home due to COVID-19, emergency boarding for your pet will not be covered.
Additional resources
Further information relating to the Coronavirus can be sourced from the World Health Organisation (WHO) or Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) websites:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters
https://www.ava.com.au/coronavirus/
Petsy Pty Ltd (ABN 54 633 343 058, AR 1277359) (‘Petsy’) distributes and promotes Petsy Pet Insurance as an authorised representative of Knose Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN 38 620 795 735, AFSL 536651) (‘Knose’). Knose is an underwriting agency acting under a binding authority as an agent for the insurer; (a) Pacific International Insurance Pty Limited (ABN 83 169 311 193) (’Pacific) in relation to policies from 01 March 2023 or have an anniversary renewal date from 18 March 2023, and (b) the Australia branch of Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd (ABN 54 163 304 907) (‘Allied World’) in relation to policies purchased between 17 February 2022 and 28 February 2023 (inclusive) or renewed between 01 March 2023 and 17 March 2023 (inclusive).In all aspects of arranging this product, Petsy and Knose act as an agent of Pacific/Allied World (as the case may be) and not as your agent. Any advice contained on this website is general advice only and has been prepared without taking into account individual objectives, financial situation or needs and you should consider the appropriateness of any such advice, the Product Disclosure Statement (‘PDS’’) (Allied World PDS) and the Target Market Determination (‘TMD’’) (Allied World TMD) available via www.petsy.com.au or by calling 1300 952 790 before making a decision to acquire, or to continue to hold, the product.
Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. Please refer to the PDS.
This article was written by Petsy Pet Insurance
