SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in Dogs and Cats in the United Kingdom

Smith, Shirley L.; Anderson, Enyia. R.; Cansado-Utrilla, Cintia; Prince, Tessa; Farrell, Sean; Brant, Bethaney; Smyth, Stephen; Noble, Peter-John M.; Pinchbeck, Gina L.; Marshall, Nikki; Roberts, Larry; Hughes, Grant L.; Radford, Alan D.; Patterson, Edward I.

Companion animals are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and sporadic cases of pet infections have occurred in the United Kingdom. Here we present the first large-scale serological survey of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in dogs and cats in the UK. Results are reported for 688 sera (454 canine, 234 feline) collected by a large veterinary diagnostic laboratory for routine haematology during three time periods; pre-COVID-19 (January 2020), during the first wave of UK human infections (April-May 2020) and during the second wave of UK human infections (September 2020-February 2021). Both pre-COVID-19 sera and those from the first wave tested negative. However, in sera collected during the second wave, 1.4% (n=4) of dogs and 2.2% (n=2) cats tested positive for neutralising antibodies. The low numbers of animals testing positive suggests pet animals are unlikely to be a major reservoir for human infection in the UK. However, continued surveillance of in-contact susceptible animals should be performed as part of ongoing population health surveillance initiatives.