How to Care for Pets if You have COVID-19

Human viral respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus altered our way of life. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggested several precautions to avoid this deadly disease.

If you contract this illness, you must know the best ways to care for your pet. The most valued family member is your much-loved pet. You might come from a big family or a nucleus. How will your relationship with your domestic pets be affected if you test positive for Covid-19?

Let’s examine the pandemic’s effects on your pets in more detail and discuss the safety measures responsible pet owners like you are expected to take.

What is COVID-19?

Human COVID-19 is a viral respiratory disease first identified in late 2019. The disease is brought by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a brand-new coronavirus that hasn’t been seen in people before.

There are numerous varieties of coronaviruses. In general, each coronavirus causes a distinct disease in a different animal. Coronaviruses commonly cause upper respiratory infections and colds in people. The coronaviruses that afflict both dogs and cats are species-specific. Although they are all related, coronaviruses vary from one another.

Can pets contract COVID-19 infection?

According to current knowledge, the COVID-19 virus can infect some animals; however, it happens infrequently.

Comparatively, few dogs and cats have tested positive globally compared to people. 

How do I get ready for COVID-19?

For several weeks after contracting COVID-19, you won’t be able to leave your house. Because of this, it’s crucial to have a convenient supply of pet supplies at home to take care of your animal while ill.

You will need to be confined on your property if you contract COVID-19. This could make taking care of dogs more difficult. You can take your dog for a walk there if you have a private yard. You should teach your dog to relieve himself indoors if you don’t have a private yard. This could be difficult since they are typically reluctant to go potty inside after a dog is house-trained. 

Use potty pads, pet turf, artificial grass trays, or another surface for elimination if you’re trying to teach your pet to relieve itself indoors. Using incentives and positive reinforcement, teach your dog to go potty on that surface just as you did when you first house-trained them as a puppy.

Before taking your dog to his new elimination area, it would be beneficial to attach his leash to further cement the concept that this is their new place to eliminate.

Instead, it would be best to discover other pet care options, such as hiring a dog walker or pet sitter. The dog walker should know how to care for your dog while keeping themselves safe and maintaining physical distance from you while transferring.

Ensure you have enough of the following items for at least one month:

• Pet food
• Pet medications
• Cleaning supplies
• Pet toys
• Potty pads for your dog to eliminate
• Contact information for a dog walker or pet-sitting service in case you are unable to care for your pet
• Cat litter box

If I have COVID-19, how should I look after my pets?

Public health authorities advise limiting contact with animals until more is known about COVID-19 if you have received a diagnosis of the illness. Keep your cat inside to prevent interactions with other animals or people. Dogs must always be on a leash while walking, and parks and trails should be avoided.

Until you feel better, it’s best to let a family member take care of your dogs. While ill, you should isolate yourself from your pets in the same way that you would isolate yourself from the other human home residents. Leave your pet’s food, walks, playtime, and cuddling to a healthy family member, and confine.

You can be forced to take care of your pets yourself if you live alone. If so, attempt to minimize touch as much as you can. To lessen the chance of infecting your pets, think about doing the following actions:

• Hands should be cleaned entirely both before and after handling pets.
• Before touching the food and water bowls for your pets, wash your hands.
• Avoid giving your pets too much cuddle time or kissing.
• Cough or sneeze using tissue, then discard the tissues in a sanitary manner out of reach of animals. Immediately after coughing or sneezing, wash your hands.
• Never feed your pet on your bed, and never share your meals.
• If you can, wear a mask—even one made of cloth—to limit the spread of droplets.
• Regular touch surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected.

Do not bring your pet to the veterinarian’s office yourself if you have COVID-19 and they fall ill. Call your vet and let them know if you have COVID-19 illness.

If you are healthy and do not have COVID-19, you should adhere to the following basic recommendations:

• Do not let your pets mingle with other animals or people outside the home. 
• Treat your pets the same way as is advised for humans.
• Wherever feasible, confine cats inside.
• Keep dogs on leashes at least 6 feet away from other people and animals when walking them.
• Avoid congregating with other people and pets in parks or other public areas.
• Abide by any restrictions placed on the closure of local parks and trails.

To help you care for your pets if you have Covid-19, here is an infographic that summarizes the advice.

Can a stray animal or my pet give me coronavirus?

According to current World Health Organization recommendations, there is no proof that stray animals, including pets, may contract coronavirus or become ill. There is currently no proof that companion animals can spread the coronavirus. COVID-19 is a continuously changing topic; new information will be added as it becomes available.

Can my pets transmit COVID-19 to others from me?

There are no reports of domestic animals infecting people with COVID-19.

It is advised to avoid boarding or rehoming your pet if you have COVID-19 until we learn more. Tell the boarding kennel, daycare, dog walker, or pet sitter who must take care of your animals while in the hospital that you are sick. They can limit close contact with your dogs and take the appropriate safety measures. Please inform your veterinarian team before bringing your pet to the clinic if it needs medical attention and you have recently seen or are now experiencing COVID-19 symptoms so that they can take the necessary safeguards.

If I am hospitalized, what happens to my pet?

Make sure someone can take care of your pet if you are hospitalized. It would be preferable if someone fed and played with the pet in its own house because some dogs and cats may become apprehensive, agitated, or even aggressive if they feel insecure in a new environment. However, if there is a lockdown, it is ideal to have someone (preferably someone the dog is accustomed to) move the animal to a new temporary residence where it will be better cared for.

If your pet tests positive, what should I do?

Your veterinarian might advise that you isolate your pet at home, depending on the symptoms.

Keep your pet at home, save for when it needs medical attention if your vet advises home isolation, and you can care for them there. You can safeguard yourself when taking care of a sick pet by taking the same safety measures as are advised for persons taking care of an infected person at home.

Cats ought to be kept indoors. Cats who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus shouldn’t be let outside.

Comparison Table

Do’s	Don’ts
Follow the government’s hygienic regulations.	Do not kiss your pet
After petting, walking, or feeding your own or neighborhood dogs, wash your hands.	Your pets shouldn’t wear masks because doing so can stress them out and interfere with their ability to breathe.
Be careful to regularly disinfect surfaces in your home.	If you have COVID-19, avoid all contact with animals, including caressing, cuddling, being kissed or licked, and sharing meals.
If you think your personal dog or a dog in the community is ill, speak to a veterinarian.	Do not leave the house, primarily to feed stray dogs, if you think you have the coronavirus.

To Summarize

It is advised to avoid boarding or rehoming your pet if you have COVID-19. Tell the boarding kennel, daycare, dog walker, or pet sitter who must take care of your animals while in the hospital that you are sick. They can limit close contact with your dogs and take the appropriate safety measures. Please inform your veterinarian team before bringing your pet to the clinic if it needs medical attention and you have recently seen or are now experiencing COVID-19 symptoms so that they can take the necessary safeguards.

Related FAQ’s

1. Can animals infect humans with the new coronavirus?

Answer: The human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus is, without a doubt, the cause of the present COVID-19 epidemic. Although the actual cause of the pandemic is unknown, it is believed that the virus first infected an animal species before moving to humans, where it mainly transmitted from person to person.

2. Do I have to quarantine my dog if I have the Coronavirus?

Answer: There is currently no proof that pets can spread coronaviruses to humans. Therefore, if you are ill, there is no need to quarantine your pet. However, until more is known about the virus, it is advised that COVID-19 patients limit their contact with animals.

3. Should my dog receive a coronavirus vaccination?

Answer: The current canine coronavirus vaccines are not licensed to prevent respiratory infections; instead, they are designed to guard against enteric (digestive system) coronavirus infection (CCoV). No proof getting the canine coronavirus vaccine can protect you from getting COVID-19-infected animals. Therefore, COVID-19 will not be prevented by the canine coronavirus vaccine.

Disclaimer: The content on the site is for educational purposes only, and it does not provide medical advice. The shared information must not be treated as a substitute for or alternative for medical practitioner advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Regarding any concerns about your pet’s health, seeking veterinary guidance is of utmost necessity. Each pet has specific health, fitness & nutrition needs. Do not disregard, avoid or delay pet health-related advice from veterinarians based on reading the information provided on this site.