Just like humans, dogs can experience stress or even depression if they are cooped up inside for too long. Experts advise you to entertain your dogs by substituting outdoor activities with indoor ones. Veterinarian, Dr. Kristine Torres advises people to play fetch at home with your dogs or even take them up and down the stairs. If you have a home with limited space then you can play tug of war or hide and seek instead. You can even bond with your furry companions with DIY puzzle games, which you can find online. The veterinarian suggests that work from home is a great opportunity for you to teach your pet new tricks and bond with them during this lockdown season.
One of the major concerns of pet parents, especially those who have dogs, is how and where can they relieve themselves during this quarantine period? This is mainly for people who have dogs and live in apartments, who are used to taking their furry companions for walks to do their business. Well, experts have stressed that dogs can relieve themselves indoors. A newspaper can be used as a designated spot. But the animal feces must be bagged and properly disposed of, and the area needs to be disinfected. If your pet does its business in a garden, sidewalk or a public place, then you must thoroughly clean and disinfect the area as an infected animal’s feces might contain eggs of roundworms and other parasites if it is not cleaned properly.
Since the entire nation is on lockdown, pet stores might remain closed for the duration of the enhanced community quarantine. With hysteria taking over, many people go out on a panic-buying spree and empty the shelves of the pet shops and pet aisles at grocery stores. During this time, you might find yourself curbing food portions of your pet to make sure your supply lasts. But veterinarians advise that you must feed your pets based on their age, weight, breed, activity, and health in emergency scenarios. Veterinarian Dr. Kristine Torres explains that the general rule is to give ½ to ¾ cup of food for every 11.3 kgs of body weight. The vet has also advised that if you run out of the dog or cat food, you can slowly transition them to a complete and balanced home-cooked meal.
Coronavirus doesn’t spread from animals to humans. However it’s always good to keep your pets clean and hygiene. Wash the paws of your dogs after you get them back home from a walk. Social distancing is also applicable to your furry companions, so do make sure they don’t come in close contact with other animals or people outside. So do practice basic hygiene and make sure they don’t go close to an unknown person or animal.
The compulsory lockdown during coronavirus is a blessing in disguise, especially for people who leave their pets alone to venture out for work. Well, thanks to work from home, you now have the chance to spend a lot of quality time with your pet. So engage them in fun activities, play with them and pamper them with cuddles. This is your chance to bond with your pet and help them feel better during difficult times. It’s your sunshine amidst the thick cloud of COVID-19.
Well, we have given you 5 ways to care for your pets during this lockdown season. So get your A-game going and have a wonderful time with your furry companions and stay at home to protect yourself and your loved ones from coronavirus.
