There’s a new health concern that might have you thinking twice about your furry friends.
Specialists are warning that a respiratory virus originating from dogs could pose a significant risk to human health.
This virus, known as Canine Coronavirus (CCoV), typically causes gastrointestinal issues in dogs but has been linked to severe health problems in humans.
A group of infectious disease specialists has compiled and analyzed all existing research on CCoV, sharing their insights and cautions in the latest edition of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Despite the limited data, these experts assert that the recently identified canine coronavirus represents “a major threat to public health.”
The reviewed data includes a 2021 study from the University of Florida which identified CCoV in a healthcare worker who traveled from Florida to Haiti in 2017 and subsequently experienced fever and fatigue.
Also in 2021, scientists at the University of Texas identified a new strain, isolated from a child in Malaysia. The two strains were nearly identical.
Genomic sequencing found that the one found in Malaysia shared characteristics with other viruses known to have infected cats and pigs, but was mostly similar to one known to have infected dogs.
It has been documented among people in Arkansas and Southeast Asia, suggesting this particular strain has gone global.
Without preventive measures, experts warn a virus like canine coronavirus could gain traction among human beings and lead to a pandemic similar to the one we experienced with COVID-19.
“Our review of the literature indicates this virus poses respiratory disease threats to humans, yet little has been done to respond to or prevent infection,” said co-author John Lednicky, Ph.D., a research professor in the Department of Environmental and Global Health at the University of Florida’s College of Public Health.
In addition to the canine coronavirus, the researchers are also warning about influenza D, which is associated with pigs and cows.
“If these viruses evolve the capacity to easily transmit person to person, they may be able to cause epidemics or pandemics since most people won’t have immunity to them,” he continued.
Lednicky and other experts maintain that mitigating the risks involves virus monitoring, reliable testing, and possibly developing a vaccine.
The warnings about the potentially devastating effects of canine coronavirus come on the heels or paws of the discovery of a highly transmissible COVID-19 variant, informally known as “Stratus.”
The XFG variant has been driving case numbers during winter’s respiratory virus season, making it the dominant COVID strain.
A hybrid of two Omicron sub-strains was initially detected in January 2025 in Southeast Asia and in the US in the spring.
To protect against COVID and other respiratory viruses, health experts advise practicing good hygiene, improving indoor air ventilation and filtration, and staying up to date with vaccines.
