Anna Garvey MRCVS
@GarveyVet
(Anna agreed to be one of the speakers on our 'Companion Animal' panel (details on the 'Schedule' page). She has kindly supplied the following advice for the current times.)
It goes without saying that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected almost every aspect of daily life. Importantly, as a species that chooses to share our lives with other domesticated beings, this means there are millions of pets in the UK who are also finding their way through big changes. While our companion animals may be pleased to have us around more, any change in routine can cause them considerable stress.
Thankfully, many brilliant vets and behaviourists have shared their expertise about how we can minimise the disruption that our new four-legged co-workers may be experiencing. This three-part post pulls together some of the main points, advice, and top tips for the current circumstances.
Hopefully the resources here can go some way to smoothing household relations for human and non-human family members alike, but please let us know (@GarveyVet) if you have any questions. And on that note, I’m off to build a cardboard treat maze for my very demanding sausage dog who is staring intensely at me from the doorway…
Part 1 Your pet's veterinary health
Vet practices are still open! They will see your pet if they need urgent or emergency medical attention. As a profession, vets have curtailed routine appointments in order to comply with social distancing. This is not ideal for some animals, but our governing body (the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) has instructed all vets to make such adjustments to keep everyone safe. Phoning your vets will get you the best answer to any questions you might have, but please be aware that the situation is constantly changing and that vets are trying to do what is best for both you and your animals.