India Introduces First Covid Vaccine for Pets: Experts Weigh In

India has achieved a significant milestone in pet health with the development of the country’s first Covid-19 vaccine for animals. Dubbed ‘Anocovax,’ the vaccine has been created by the ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines in Haryana.

Anocovax is deemed safe for a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, lions, leopards, mice, and rabbits. According to the ICAR-National Veterinary Research Center in Hisar, Anocovax is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Delta (Covid-19) vaccine, effective against both the Delta and Omicron variants. The ICAR released a statement highlighting the CAN-CoV-2 ELISA Kit, a sensitive and specific nucleocapsid protein-based indirect ELISA Kit designed for antibody detection against SARS-CoV-2 in canines.

This breakthrough is particularly noteworthy due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) acknowledgment that Covid-19 can spread from humans to animals through close contact. While pets, including cats and dogs, have contracted the virus globally, primarily through close contact with Covid-19-positive individuals, the risk of pets transmitting the infection to humans remains low.

Dr. Dilip Sonune, director of veterinary services at Wiggles.in, emphasizes that in India, the SARS-CoV-2 Delta strain in animals mirrors the human variant. He notes that infections have been reported in lions, and household pets like dogs and cats are also vulnerable due to their close interaction with humans. Dr. Sonune warns that the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to animals could expedite its evolution, potentially affecting Covid-19 surveillance and control strategies in humans. He underscores the importance of vaccinating animals not only to prevent inter-animal transmission but also to thwart zoonotic transmission back to humans.

Dr. Vineeta Poojary, manager of veterinary services at the Humane Society International, echoes Dr. Sonune’s sentiments, emphasizing the crucial role of vaccine production in combating Covid-19, even within the animal sector. She highlights the reports of Covid-19 infections in animals resulting from close contact with humans, underscoring the concern that animal infections could lead to further virus mutations beyond those observed in humans. Dr. Poojary emphasizes that having a vaccine like Anocovax available would alleviate this concern, preventing potential mutations and enhancing efforts to control the spread of Covid-19 in both humans and animals.