Giant poodle becomes the first pet in Spain known to have the British ‘Kent’ COVID-19 variant

RESEARCHERS have discovered the first case in Spain of a pet infected with the British ‘Kent’ COVID-19 variant.

A team at the Complutense University of Madrid(UCM) have been studying coronavirus infections in pets for a number of months.

They have confirmed that a 14-year-old giant poodle tested positive in PCR tests for the ‘Kent’ variant which first came to light last December.

Further extensive tests backed up the researchers findings.

The UCM team’s study has involved tests on around 800 cats and dogs, as well as 100 ferrets, 24 lynxes, and a wild mink.

They analysed whether the animals caught COVID by being in contact with infected humans.

The results showed that 95% of cats and dogs that had tested positive were associated with owners who had the coronavirus.

In all the cases, the infections were classified as mild.

The researchers have warned that with new more virulent strains, problems for pets may increase in the future, with some of them suffering from reduced heart muscle strength.

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