Your Pets, Flu and COVID-19 ?

[Dr. Jeff]

The Animal Medical center has a great page of curated info about COVID and pets:

COVID-19 and Pets - The Animal Medical Center

www.amcny.org

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Regarding Ivermectin and COVID, the man who won the Nobel Prize for discovering ivermectins says that it's dangerous, and even potentially deadly.

This came from a vet from Cornell relative at who is a relative of the scientist (so she got it directly from the "horse's mouth").

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Dr. Osterholm says that 12-18 months may be the most realistic estimate for return to the new normal:

Episode 3: Preparing For What's To Come

In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and host Chris Dall discuss the COVID-19 situation in the US, the potential for subsequent waves of infection, racial and gender disparities in reported cases, and the use of masks by the public.

www.cidrap.umn.edu

 

[Dr. Jeff]

If you have any COVID questions, here's a great source to get answers straight from scientists and doctors on the front lines:

FAS COVID-19 Ask a Scientist

FAS COVID-19 Ask a Scientist

covid19.fas.org

Here's what I just asked:

I've been advising my clients and community members to help decrease their risks by using the same cellular energy and immune surveillance optimizing activities that we use to help their pets.

Might things like optimizing vital capacity through breathing practices, magnesium oil, being out in nature, laughing, etc. be helpful?

At this time it seems like these things can help people stay out of the hospital.

Would you agree that this strategy is helpful?

 

[KellyB]

Very interesting article, Dr. Jeff - thanks for sharing! Unfortunately, my father and my landlord feel that spraying glyphosate is “no big deal” despite my efforts to convince them otherwise. ?

I would like to pose a question regarding the article, though. Weren’t cytokine storms part of the 1918-20 Spanish flu pandemic? There was no glyphosate then.

Kelly

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Home isolation during this pandemic may have a positive emotional effect on some dogs and cats depending on their individuality.

Here's an excerpt from:

Is COVID-19 isolation making your dog as anxious as you?

www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk

Dogs are very social creatures. So as it turns out, the confinement might be actually good for them. “The confinement actually corresponds to their need for social interactions,” according to Caroline Gilbert, a veterinarian that specialises in behaviour at the French National Veterinary school in Alfort. “Working and leaving your dog alone for several hours is not good, some dogs who cannot stand being alone. Dogs are just happy that they have their owners at home. It’s very interesting and engaging for them to have their owners to play, cuddle and socialise with them all day.”

Some dog might need extra engagement. Working dogs and those who are used to being out a lot and sniffing out different smells will probably need to be stimulated a bit more. But there are different ways to keep a dog’s intellect active without taking them out. Others might dislike the over-solicitation.

“It is important to also give time for dogs to keep to themselves, to prevent them from developing aggressive behaviours,” explains the specialist.

So really the owner knows its dogs and its habits, and should be able to adapt to the attention it will need during this special time. It is important to watch out for and react to signs of boredom such as general mischief, excessive barking, chewing and attention seeking. The internet if full of ways to keep your dog’s mind busy. And as it turns out, it is actually the end of the isolation period that might be trickier for animals.

However, try to also give your pets some alone time for when you go back to work since:

Coming out of isolation might actually cause more separation-linked anxiety in pets

One strategy to try is going out for a walk without your pets when you would ordinarily go to work.

There are other things you can do, and I'll see if separation anxiety expert Lisa Lyle Waggoner or @jenbridwell or @jsqueglia or @SueB or @beccak have any other ideas to post in this thread.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Kelly-

Thanks for the great question Kelly!

Yes, cytokine storm during or after an illness is real and can have serious consequences such as pulmonary failure ending the need for a ventilator or even death.


This image is from:

The cytokine storm of severe influenza and development of immunomodulatory therapy - PMC

Severe influenza remains unusual in its virulence for humans. Complications or ultimately death arising from these infections are often associated with hyperinduction of proinflammatory cytokine production, which is also known as ‘cytokine storm'. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

However, over production of "bad" cytokines after a viral trigger is just one of the molecular effects of being energetically imbalanced.

Cytokines are more commonly an important part of the immune and inflammatory responses.

Similar to how antibodies are an important part of immunity.

However after some triggers, like vaccination, "bad" antibodies can attack normal parts of the body creating auto-immunity:

The overproduction of immune cells, and their signaling compounds called cytokines, stirs up hyper-inflammation that can cause substantial tissue damage, an effect of many autoimmune disorders. Lupus patients, in particular, produce too much of the cytokine interferon, a natural chemical that signals to the immune system in ways that can exacerbate inflammation.

From:

How to Quell a Cytokine Storm: International Team Finds New Ways to Dampen an Overactive Immune System – PR News

Now, researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and colleagues at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom, have deciphered the structure of the complex and have found new molecular targets for fighting autoimmunity.

www.pennmedicine.org

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Here's some recent vet journal advice regarding COVID and pets:

Prevention Measures
To reduce the chances that a pet could become a fomite, the following is recommended17-19,30:

• If a pet owner is ill with COVID-19, she/he should maintain separation from a pet, just as would be done for another member of the household. If possible, someone else may take care of the pet.
• If a pet owner must care for a pet while ill, a face mask should be worn around the pet; hands should be washed before and after contact with the pet; hugging, kissing, and sleeping with the pet should be avoided (as well as being licked); and food, eating utensils, cups, bedding, or other items should not be shared. The pet should be kept indoors as much as possible.
• For pet owners without symptoms, good hygiene should be practiced around the pet with hand washing before and after contact and feeding. Food and water dishes, toys, and bedding should also be washed regularly.
• If a pet that that has been in contact with someone with COVID-19 becomes ill, pet owners should contact the state public health veterinarian or other public health official. They will be advised to bring the pet into a veterinary clinic, which should be contacted in advance of any physical contact with the pet owner and pet.
• All coronaviruses are enveloped and therefore readily killed by many biocidal agents, as well as washing with soap and water. Bathing the pet of someone who is ill may help reduce any chance the pet could be a fomite, but there is no scientific evidence at this time that supports this measure.

A "fomite" is a vehicle that can transmit infection like pet fur (or surfaces).

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Increasing cellular energy increases immune surveillance to protect us from COVID.

This is one reason why deep breathing is so helpful and important.

Here's a forum post and article that discuss this in the general context of promoting healing:

Cellular Energy and Increasing Healing With Nicotinamide Riboside (vit B3)

Cells need enough energy to heal. Most drugs and some vitamins and supplements use up energy and can decrease healing ability. That's a big reason to minimize drug use whenever possible. Holistic Actions! like sniff walks, snuffle mats and magnesium oil all increase energy production in the...

www.holisticactions.com

 

[Dr. Jeff]

This is an excerpt from a New England Journal of Medicine 2/28 commentary by Anthony Fauci and colleagues in which they equate Covid-19 with a severe flu.

He says that the Covid mortality is much lower than the other recent coronaviruses that caused SARS (~9% mortality) and MERS (~35% mortality):

This suggests that the overall clinical consequences of Covid-19 may ultimately be more akin to those of a severe seasonal influenza (which has a case fatality rate of approximately 0.1%) or a pandemic influenza (similar to those in 1957 and 1968) rather than a disease similar to SARS or MERS, which have had case fatality rates of 9 to 10% and 36%, respectively.2

 

[Dr. Jeff]

During tonight's Empower Hour! webinar we discussed the information coming out of NY about harm from using ventilators for patients with Covid.

Dr. Lisa mentioned the homeopathic medicine made from carbon monoxide poisoning and how it could save lives of only doctors in the hospital would use it (or homeopathy at all).

Here's the original information about the problem from Dr. Cameron Kyle-Sidell, MD. He is a board-certified emergency medicine physician in Brooklyn, New York who is affiliated with Maimonides Medical Center:

Edit 7/19/20- Unfortunately these "subversive" videos have been removed by Vimeo. However, I can briefly summarize what the ER doc said in them.

In short, he was discussing the routine use of the ventilator for patients with covid symptoms. His astute observation was that using the same treatment for every patient appeared to be doing more harm than good.

Treatments for every patient, especially if they are critically ill, need to be individualized to be most effective.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

One of the world's premier medical journals also has a great summary page of Covid updates which is available here:

https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus?dgcid=etoc-edschoice_email_tlcoronavirus20

 

[Dr. Jeff]

This is from a separate forum thread about the virus vs. exosome theory:

Is a Virus Really an Exosome??‍♂️

This is not a topic that I'd ordinarily bring up on this forum, because of all the scientific holes in this theory (which some people are calling a conspiracy theory), but it is one more piece of information that everyone should be armed with during these viral days of Covid. It relates to the...

www.holisticactions.com

 

[LisaW]

Home isolation during this pandemic may have a positive emotional effect on some dogs and cats depending on their individuality.

Here's an excerpt from:

Is COVID-19 isolation making your dog as anxious as you?

www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk

However, try to also give your pets some alone time for when you go back to work since:



One strategy to try is going out for a walk without your pets when you would ordinarily go to work.

There are other things you can do, and I'll see if separation anxiety expert Lisa Lyle Waggoner or @jenbridwell or @jsqueglia or @SueB or @beccak have any other ideas to post in this thread.

 

[LisaW]

Yes, helping our dogs find some sense of normalcy in regard to what our pre-COVID life was like is important. It's a fact: there is no normal right now. Not for you. Not for your dog. Think about what you used to do with your dog. Think about what you’re doing now vs. before the stay at home requirements. How does that differ? How can you, with a little added time and attention, create opportunities for your dog to “feel normal.” It's important to optimize your dog’s routine so that "what used to be normal" continues (to the best of your ability).

Our own case in point: our own 22 month old Australian Shepherd, Cailie and the Car. It took a long time and a lot of counter conditioning and training with Cailie as a puppy (and even into her adolescence) to help her overcome her dislike of the car because of early car sickness. I don't want her to lose that comfort that was so hard to gain!

While we work from home and our home/work life hasn't changed drastically (except for becoming busier), like everyone else, we're adhering to the stay at home orders which means we're not leaving the house by car very often. Brad's been out for groceries, but I haven't left by car in four weeks!

Yesterday I made a commitment to take Cailie for short car ride a few times each week. It's definitely needed. A month ago, she would happily hop right into her crate in the car. Yesterday, she would not. With a little coaxing and some high value reinforcers, we were successful. However, it was apparent that her former comfort in the car had diminished, so back to finding ways to take car rides that end in fun experiences for her. With creativity, I can find a few places to go for a short sniff walk while also adhering to the required physical distancing measures.

My training goal for Cailie and the Car has already given me a sense of purpose. It’s something “to do” that provides some semblance of normalcy, for me and for Cailie.

If you used to take your dog for car rides, find ways to continue to do that. If you crate your dog during certain times when you'd normally be away at work, continue to find times for that crate experience while you leave the house and either sit in the car for a while or take a short drive. If your dog or puppy needs continued exposure to new people, places or things, that's still possible with social distancing by finding areas where you can safely walk while still keeping a distance. If your dog used to be left alone in the home prior to COVID, plan intentional times for them to be alone now.

It's important to make time in your day, even if you have to put it on your formal calendar, to help your dog continue their pre-COVID experiences and routines.

Here's a article with further info for solid advice: Some dogs may be at risk for developing separation anxiety when their owners return to work, so we asked experts how people can prevent it

Happy Training, Lisa

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Fantastic post Lisa, thanks so much for making it! ?

Gradually returning to normalcy is very important at this time.

As soon as we get enough titers tests, we can all get tested and use the results to make decisions about our return to life in 2020.

For example, those of us who have already mounted an immune response to viral exposure, and therefore have measurable titers, can follow different guidelines than people who are immune "innocents" because they were not exposed.

Knowing more about how we got here is also quite helpful when deciding what to do.

This article thoroughly and objectively discusses important facts we all need to know about the virus:

Why Did The World Shut Down For COVID-19 But Not Ebola, SARS Or Swine Flu?

We’re currently battling a global pandemic unlike any we’ve seen in over a century. But it’s also not the first modern virus we’ve faced.

fivethirtyeight.com

 

[Dr. Jeff]

IMHO it's too early to focus on the post-Covid world but here is an interesting article about cit life and "densification" vs. "disaggregation":

Last evenings on present earth

LIFE is uncertain. One day the Covid-19 happened, and life is no longer the same. Things will be different, and right now we’re still struggling to figure out how they will be.

www.thestar.com.my

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Here's a video and audio to help promote positive emotions and help boost the immune system:

Stephen King Is Sorry You Feel Like You're Stuck In A Stephen King Novel

The horror writer says he understands why fans have said the COVID-19 pandemic feels like living inside one of his novels. King says he doesn't feel panic or terror, but rather, a "gnawing anxiety."

www.npr.org

 

[Dr. Christina]

TESTING PETS FOR COVID 19 (SARS-CoV-2).
On April 20th, Idexx labs issued this report:
Most important take away is that all pets have tested negative so far (over 5000). the only pets who should be tested are ones living with a person who has tested positive and is ill.

Here's the details:
Idexx Laboratories, Inc. announced today that it has made its SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) RealPCR Test for pets available to veterinarians, noting in a press release that it has done so “in response to customer demand and growing evidence that in rare cases pets living with COVID-19 positive humans can be at risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection.”

Over the past two months, the company has tested more than 5,000 specimens from cats, dogs and horses with respiratory clinical signs in 17 countries. None of the samples tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

“We have continued to monitor the rapidly evolving public health crisis worldwide, paying special attention to the effects on pets,” says Jay Mazelsky, president and CEO of Idexx Laboratories, in the release. “While there is currently no evidence that dogs or cats play a role in transmitting the disease to humans, it became clear offering the test was the right thing to do when we saw clinical evidence that pets—especially cats and ferrets—can in rare cases be at risk for infection. And, we heard from our customers around the globe that veterinarians needed a testing option.”

Beginning this week, the test will be available to veterinarians in North America. It will become available throughout much of the rest of world in the coming weeks, enabled by Idexx Reference Laboratories, which includes more than 80 laboratories worldwide.

In agreement with medical experts, Idexx says that veterinarians who order the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) RealPCR Test should first consult with a public health authority (e.g. a U.S. state public health veterinarian). Tests should be reserved for pets that meet the following criteria:

• Pet lives in a household with a human who has COVID-19 or has tested positive for the virus.
• Pet has already been tested by a veterinarian for more common infections, which have been ruled out.
• Pet (especially cats and ferrets) is showing clinical signs consistent with COVID-19.

The Idexx test for pets is not the same as that used in humans, so it should have no impact on human COVID-19 testing or test availability.

Knowledge about of COVID-19 and its effects on animal and human health is evolving rapidly, but leading health authorities and Idexx veterinarians agree that transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus occurs primarily from person to person; thus there is no reason to test asymptomatic pets. The negative results from completed tests suggest that dogs and cats living with infected people are not likely to become infected themselves, except in rare and isolated cases.

Dr. Christina

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi everyone-

@adria just compiled a great list of questions about covid (I will be writing about the virus in lower case from now on).

Coincidentally, today's weekly Cornell Univ. vet school webinar was all about animals and covid. A state public health epidemiologist and the NY state vet were also there.

In summary, it was a very positive meeting with no evidence, worldwide, of spread from pets (or tigers/lions) to people. However, as we have discussed in this thread, animals can get infected from people.

However, all the positive animals were asymptomatic or got mild symptoms.

There are no exceptions.

IMHO that's because animals are closer to their natural state, so are less susceptible to contracting or getting sick from the virus.

Here are Adria's questions answered in the context of tonight's webinar:

1. Scientific evidence of contagion - human to dogs = a few cases, humans to cats = a few more, dogs or cats transmitting covid to humans = no cases

2. Preventing virus in animals - avoid contact with your pets (if possible) if you're symptomatic (decreased BEAM, fever, cough, etc.).

At this time, it's still best to keep cats indoors and to avoid dog parks. You never know who might expose your pet if they are not in your control.

3. When you or your pet gets home, if they had direct contact with someone, avoid cuddling with them for 3 hours.

If they might have been heavily exposed to a sick person, wipe down their bodies with a non toxic anti-covid product like Path-Away.

As always, wash your hands after petting your pets. You might even want to wash your hands before petting them to help keep them safe from viral exposure.

There's no need for gloves, face covers, and definitely not any PPE (which hospitals still need). since chance of transmission is directly related to the number of viral particles to which you're exposed.

With a dog or cat that's positive, the odds are great that they would expose you to ZERO infective virus.

How can that be if the pet is positive??

That's because the tests (so far) have been looking for RNA evidence of the virus. Not infective virus.

This is like finding a fingerprint at a crime. You didn't catch the criminal, but you know they were there.

4. One piece of great news is that the feared mass euthanasia and pets being brought to shelters is not happening!!

In fact, just the opposite is happening. Nationwide, animal shelter intake is down 25% and 80% of the people who call shelters about giving up their pets are being helped to find other solutions.

We want to be with our pets during this challenging time.

Animal control officers are picking up fewer strays.

People are not abandoning their pets on the streets nationwide. @jumstead1023 is that the case around here?

Dr. Hoenhaus from AMC in NY City said that they are having virtually no calls from panicked pet parents asking for tests for their pets or with sick (from covid) pets.

5. If someone in your house has covid symptoms, it's best to keep them away from the pets. Have someone else in the house care for them.

If there is no one else, a friend, neighbor or relative can care for the pet until you are asymptomatic.

Most of the viral shed is just before symptoms start and is waning during recovery.

That about covers the webinar content, and I will say that the mood of the attendees was much lighter than it was 1 month ago.

The following is my assessment of the situation and commentary.

I think we are seeing, once again, that animals and nature should be our teachers.

Dr. Fauci said last week that why some people die from this virus while others are virtually asymptomatic is one of the "greatest riddles" of his long career.

However, I believe that the lower susceptibility and relative avirulence of covid in animals provides the answer.

It is their internal balance which is the difference between getting sick or remainig healthy.

"What's in balance" Dr. Fauci might ask? My answer would be the internal terrain.

The internal terrain, a way of looking at the germ theory, developed at the same time as Louis Pasteur was developing his germ theory.

In fact it's been reported that on his deathbed, Pasteur admitted that "the terrain is everything and the germ is nothing".

Lets Talk Nutrition

LTN can be heard from 9am-11am EST.

letstalknutrition.com

I doubt that this is true, but regardless, we’ve known about the importance of the individual parts of the terrain for many years.

Until now, we have not put those pieces of the puzzle together. My understanding of the pieces of a new ‘omic science, called the exposome, is that it does just that.

In 2019 molecular biologists redefined the molecular pieces of it. They are now all connected in a way that defines susceptibility to infection, dis-eases and cancer.

We have control over most of these pieces, and they help determine how well our bodies work to resist infections, dis-eases (imbalances) and cancer.

Here is how I break down the terrain:



There are simple Holistic Actions! that we can use to optimize our terrains to reduce our risks from covid.

Things like getting outside, soaking up sunshine, breathining deeply through our noses, etc.

There's much more about how to optimize some of these in Ronash Sinha, MD's great report which @KellyB sent me (thanks Kelly!):

Covid_19_Survival_Guide_4.13.20.pdf

drive.google.com

In addition to Dr. Sinha's discussion of the molecular biology of the virus and of wellness, he discusses specific supplemments and strategies to stay well.

As we've discussed before, he also recognizes that even if we get infected, the most important thing right now is to stay out of the hospital.

Breathing exercises, like pranayama in yoga, will help you do that.

Let's all build up our "vital capacities" and stay well.

We should be safe and better balanced, like our pets, by 2021.

In the meantime, we can all get outside to enjoy this glorious spring and go on sniff walks with our pets.