| EXCLUSIVE
Breaking the myths of Covid-19 in pets
Upon hearing alarming and bizarre incidents of people abandoning their pets out of fear of contracting Covid-19. Tulip magazine decided to put these fears at bay. We interviewed Dr Jasleen Kaur, a veterinarian and owner of Allvet Pet Clinic in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. She has completed her education from Sri Venkateshwara Veterinary University, Hyderabad. She explained how Covid-19 could affect a pet and what are the necessary actions to be taken in such cases. If the pet parent has contracted Covid-19, what should be done to keep the pet safe from the virus? If anyone in the family has tested positive for covid, it is advisable to keep the pet away from him/her. If that's not possible in a single owner household, don't hug/ kiss them and try avoiding too much physical contact with them. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling your pet and wear a mask whenever near your pet. What should be the course of action if the pet has contracted Covid-19? So far, there have been hardly any documented cases of pets contracting covid-19, however, if your pet has tested positive or if you feel he is showing symptoms for the same, please isolate your pet from other pets and humans as you would for any human. Contact your vet immediately and give a detailed description of the symptoms. Your vet will advise medication accordingly. Please do not try to disinfect your pet using sanitizer or alcohol wipes. There have been no cases of pets transmitting covid to humans. What diet will boost immunity in pets? Ideally, pets maintained on a good quality dog food diet have proper immunity and do not need any additional supplements. However, if the pets are maintained on home food or a mixture of home food and pet food, immunity boosters/ supplements prescribed by a vet can be given to help your pet. How does Covid-19 affect animals different from humans? Covid-19 affecting pets is highly uncommon, unlike humans. There have been less than a handful of cases of Covid-19 in pets worldwide. Most of these cases have been mild and not life-threatening. However, if a pet does show any symptoms or tests positive, similar isolation and quarantine protocols are recommended. 54 JULY, 2021 TULIP
