Our beloved pets are our cherished furry 4-legged companions. Unfortunately, the Coronavirus can affect all mammals – which includes our pets. Yikes!!
They can’t speak up and tell us when they don’t feel well, so lets go over some ways to help keep them healthy…
Most of us can pinpoint a moment in time when it occurred to us that we might be coming down with something. Though we usually ignore the very first signs, we usually know (and dread) when it becomes apparent that we’ve caught some sort of bug.
Let’s apply our detective skills to our pet’s health. More specifically, to their behavior. Our pets don’t usually whine, and they can’t really speak up. But their behavior does change – maybe only slightly at first – when they’re not feeling their usual selves. Noticing these small changes can help us to get them to the veterinarian quickly if need be.
We intimately know our pets’ habits. They have certain activity levels, certain favorite foods, certain things that make their tails wag or purr. Keep these in the forefront of your mind as we go through the spread of Coronavirus. Be your pets best detective, and pay close attention to them.
If their energy seems to wane, or they don’t inhale their bowl of food (cats will stop eating altogether many times), notice these things. Being diligent about this could be really helpful if they start feeling under the weather. When pets begin to feel unwell, they typically sleep more, have less energy, don’t eat and play as much, desire to be alone, and their nose may be warm and dry. Also see if their eyes are glassy or dull. Call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect they’re coming down with something.
Beyond our keen observation of our beloved companions, we can do our best to not spread our own germs around…
- Sneeze or blow into a tissue and then throw it away immediately.
- Cough into a tissue or your arm, not into your hands or openly.
- Don’t pet your pets if you’re sick – or at the very least, wash your hands well before petting them.
- Don’t kiss your pets or let them lick you if you’re sick.
- Keep your pets off your bed if you’re not feeling well.
- Ask another family member to walk them, feed them, or change their litter box.
- When walking your dog(s), maybe keep them at a distance from other dogs (“pet social distancing”) as extra disease prevention – for you and them.
We all love our pets dearly, and with keen observation and common sense measures, we can help them stay healthy throughout the spread of coronavirus, and every day.
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