With a large portion of the population working from home to limit the spread of the Covid-19, there is concern that spending time with your pets may put you at a greater risk of contracting the virus.
Dr. Lynne Bodell from Lynne Bodell’s Veterinary Clinic says that dogs and cats can’t carry the disease.
“There have been lots of tests and things done and certainly dogs and cats do not actually get infected with the coronavirus. The only possibility of passing it is the same as touching an item that you own like if you had a handbag that you just carried and actually physically had the virus on it” she said.
Vets around the country are reporting some positives from the perspective of animals who are enjoying having their owners at home for longer periods of time.
“There are very few separation anxiety cases being treated in dogs at the moment because people are at home and the dogs think this is absolutely great!” Dr. Bodell said.
It’s also proven that animals are a good stress reliever and for those who have a furry friend at home if they are feeling anxious it might be an idea to spend a little extra time giving them a cuddle or a pat.
“We are recommending if people are at home, some of the best ways to reduce stress and just relax is to take the dog for a walk, get the kids to go and play with the animals, whether it’s cats or dogs” said Dr. Bodell.
Vets are considered an essential service at the time but there are some restrictions in place at Lynne Bodell’s Vet Clinic to ensure they are meeting the guidelines set out by the government to reduce the spread.
Listen to the whole chat here: