Dr Nwose said COVID-19 has been a lesson in infection control and it's not only humans who are at risk.

"Viruses are not a living thing," he said.

"They are an infectious agents that don't survive outside of living things but become biologically alive once in living things.

"The idea of animal infections is not strange, it is the concept of reverse zoonosis, animals infect humans but it is downplayed that humans can as well infect animals."

In the United States and the United Kingdom, cases of domestic cats and dogs contracting coronavirus have been documented.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States released guidelines on how to protect animals during the pandemic.

This includes keeping cats indoors when possible and don't let them roam freely outside, walk dogs on a leash at least 2 meters away from others, avoid public places where large numbers of people gather and do not put on a mask on pets.

Dr Nwose added Australia could see such cases without proper precautions, including those positive for COVID-19 relocating their pets or keeping their distance from animals until they are better.

He also said respiratory distress is likely to be the first and most prominent symptom in pets and veterinarians should be consulted for expert advice.

"Don't treat pets less than you would humans," Dr Nwose said.

"The likelihood is there, but to prevent that likelihood we have to pass on the public health message, and we have to keep up with our hygiene education.

"Whoever has COVID-19 should stay away from domestic pets."