Paris: 4-year-old dog diagnosed with monkeypox virus

A four-year-old dog in Paris has been recently diagnosed, making it the first reported case of monkeypox in dogs. The virus was transmitted through its owner, as per the medical journal The Lancet.

The Italian Greyhound sleeps in his owner’s bed, increasing the risk of infection as monkeypox can be spread via skin-to-skin contact as well as by sharing clothes or sheets.

The reality that dogs can become infected with the virus has been known, though the Italian Greyhound appears to be the first recorded case. As per the US health agency CDC, squirrels, hedgehogs, chinchillas and possibly rabbits can also become infected with the virus.

However, as per the researcher, infection among pets is not likely.

The World Health Organization(WHO) has called Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on June 23. It is transmitted between humans through close contact with lesions or bodily fluids, and it’s spreading in the United States and Europe among people who have not travelled to areas where it is known to be endemic.

In countries where monkeypox is endemic, wild animals, including rodents and primates, can carry the virus. Captive primates in Europe have also contracted monkeypox from coming into contact with imported animals that were sick, but infection in domestic pets like dogs and cats had not previously been reported.