HALIFAX -- Government and health officials have instituted numerous measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 between people. However, many pet owners are wondering if they should also be concerned about their furry friends catching the virus.
Jeff Goodall, a veterinarian and medical director at Sunnyview Animal Care Centre in Bedford, N.S., says coronaviruses are from a large family of viruses that affect many different species.
“There is no evidence that a pet, or companion animal, has exposed a person. It is always the other way around. I don’t like the word always, but virtually it is impossible for you to get sick from your pet should they actually test positive for COVID-19,” says Goodall.
Goodall says it is just as important to practise physical-distancing with animals as it is with humans.
“When you are out walking your dog and you see the dog on the other side of the street who wants to play, not today,” says Goodall.
“There is evidence that COVID-19 can live in dogs and cats, but again, we just don’t want them to be exposed at all. There are, what, six tigers at the Bronx Zoo, a few cats in Wuhan and a dog in Hong Kong, but none of the cats or tigers succumbed. They just got a temporary illness and moved on.”
Goodall says it is important to consider your pets when making an emergency plan for your family.
“What happens if you suddenly become ill and have to go to the hospital? Do you have a trusted friend or family member who can come to the house? Has a house key, knows your security code, knows where the food is, knows what medications your pet needs? Are you able to have pet food delivered?”
With many people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Goodall says it is a great time to adopt a pet, but it is important to think long-term.
“Right now it is a great time to adopt a puppy or kitten. You have time to socialize the puppy, do some virtual training, some of the behaviourists we work with are doing online training now. It’s a great time to house train your puppy, and so on and so forth,” says Goodall.
“What are you going to do after you go to work? You need to plan for that. Remember, it’s a lifetime commitment – dogs 12 to 20 years, cats at least 15 to 20 years, parrots 50 to 60 years, lizards, 15.”
If your animal gets sick, Goodall says veterinarians are still available to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Veterinary medicine in Nova Scotia is an essential service under the emergency declaration,” says Goodall.
“We can’t see annual examinations or annual consultations; we are seeing emergency or ill pets only. However, there is an exception for puppy and kitten vaccines … but right now, we are not doing spays and neuters.”
