The Covid-19 pandemic from your pet's perspective.

The Covid-19 pandemic has definitely changed every perspective of our lives. We work from home, rarely leave the house and avoid contact with friends and relatives…but what about our pets? Are their habits and routines affected?

At first it may seem that pets would be grateful for our newly acquired stay-at-home lifestyles. However, just because they get to spend more time with us it does not mean they would be happier.

How the Covid-19 pandemic impacts our pets?

First of all, pets are creatures of habits. Changes in their daily routines have negative impact on their emotional wellbeing. Even when those changes are for the better, they need time to get used to new situations.

Secondly, although the medical community is inconclusive when it comes to our pets role in the spread of the virus, recent studies that most pet species are in fact susceptible to this dangerous disease. Once affected they can develop symptoms which in certain cases, based on the overall health status and pre-existing health issues, may be detrimental.

Last but not least, pets with separation anxiety may experience may find it hard to deal with being left alone once the pandemic ends. What is more, some pets may develop this severe behavioral issue as a result of spending too much time with us during lockdown. Once they learn it is possible to be with people all the time, going back to spending most of the day alone can be challenging. 

We wrote this article to help you protect your beloved pet baby during these crazy times and to help you protect your home from your pets' behaviors once things get back to normal.

How to take care for pets during the Covid-19 pandemic?

• Keep your pets in enclosed environments – if you are sick or have been exposed to the virus, make sure another, preferably healthy member of the households takes care of your pet. If you live alone, things are a bit more complicated. Namely, if you are well enough to take care of your pet it is best advised to keep the pet in your home. If you cannot take proper care, you should consider having your pet temporarily removed from the home. When moving your pet to another home it is important that the temporary caregiver is a healthy person that does not belong in one of the risk groups (old, young, immune-compromised and individuals with pre-existing conditions). Once the pet is relocated, it should be isolated to one area of the home. That way its contacts with other pets and people will be minimized.
• Avoid prolonged and close contact with your pet – keeping your pet safe is more important than cuddling with it. Avoiding your pet can be hard but it is for its own good. We all enjoy sleeping with our pets, sharing food, kissing them, letting them lick us…but sadly these activities can have negative impact on their health.
• Keep your pet away from other pets and people – when taking a walk keep your pet on a leash and well-distanced from other animals and people. If you have a yard, do not leave your pet unsupervised.
• Take extra precautions when caring for your pet – before and after touching your pet is of paramount importance to wash your hands with water and soap. Alternatively, you can use alcohol-based sanitizer. Additionally, avoid coughing and sneezing near your pet. Instead, cough and sneeze into your elbow or in a tissue. Last but not least, avoid touching your face with dirty hands.
• Monitor your pet for any sign of illness – Covid-19 is an insidious disease and sometimes your pet may get infected even without direct exposure. Therefore, it is always important to keep a close eye on your pet. If your pet shows any sign of illness call your trusted vet as soon as possible. Your vet will decide whether the pet can be managed at home or it has to be examined at his office.

Now that we covered what to do, let us say a word or two about what not to do. To be more accurate, when it comes to protecting your pet, it is important to avoid the following:

• Putting a mask on your pet's face – masks are dangerous for pets and must never be used.
• Bathing or wiping your pet with chemical disinfectants, hand sanitizers and industrial cleaners – there are appropriate, pet-friendly products that can be used to clean your pet.

The effects of Covid-19 on separation anxiety

As already mentioned, the new Covid-19 situation can both trigger separation anxiety in pets that were previously healthy or worsen the signs and symptoms in already diagnosed pets. Either way, you need to pet-proof your home.

Pet-proofing is beyond protecting your home alone. It is also about protecting your pet from potential hazards. Some hazards like splint nails are minor but others like electric shocks are life-threatening. 

This is where our products step in. Protect offers a wide range of pet-proofing products, from door and floor protectors to furniture and wire protectors. All Protecto products are made of high-quality and pet-friendly materials capable of withstanding your pet's razor-sharp teeth and piercing nails. Last but not least, the products are stylishly designed and will seamlessly blend with your interior design.  

Conclusion

Simply put, when it comes to protecting your pet, just treat it the same way you treat other family members when trying to protect them. On the other hand, when it comes to protecting your home just visit our site and you will find everything you need for pet-proofing your home. If you have your pet assigned to a temporary caregiver, keep in mind that pet-proofing his home is also important.