translated from Spanish: Care for pets during the isolation period

Among the questions that have arisen from the measures that have been taken to curb the contagion of coronavirus are the precautions to be taken with pets during the period of isolation or quarantine.
That’s why Rodrigo Santana, academic of Veterinary Medicine at the University of the Americas, gives some advice on health, food and physical activity to put into practice with pets in the face of this health emergency.
Because while the World Health Organization (WHO) has clarified that to date there is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can acquire Covid-19 and infect it to a human, i.e. it does not constitute zoonosis, it is also important to apply some measures at home.
“If a person is confirmed as positive, the period of isolation must be rigorously carried out and the care of the pet must be assumed by another family member who does not have symptoms or a temporary caregiver, who must follow the same hygiene measures recommended by the sanitary authorities, strict hand washing, seek the permanent disinfection with chlorine of the utensils occupied by the pet, such as dishes, water containers, collars, toys,” says the veterinary doctor.
It also stresses that a pet must have the slightest contact with a infected person, not sleep with it and remain equally in a quarantine period, because even though it does not become infected with Covid-19, it can still act as a vector of particles of the virus that remain in its body or in its utensils. This condition of “fomite” is not only of the pet but also of all members of the family group, therefore, the health measures are the same for all.
Essential care
If a family is quarantined or has opted for preventive isolation, it is ideally not recommended to take dogs out to walk on the street and this activity should be exchanged for others at home, in protected hallways or patios, for example, games and dexterity exercises, where it is important that there is an interaction with the person in your care. In the case of taking them for a walk, do not extend the departures beyond half an hour and respecting the curfew schedules. In those quarantined communes, the walk should be no more than two blocks around your home always with caution and collecting your bowel movements.
Regarding the feeding and hydration of pets, Santana says that it should continue on a regular basis, reinforcing the hygiene measures of dishes and containers. They should always have abundant fresh water available and in the case of food, as far as possible, it should continue with the one that usually eats to avoid gastrointestinal problems, choosing to buy through online platforms with home delivery, to avoid leaving home.
In the event that this food is not available, you can temporarily choose to give them home-prepared foods such as rice and chicken cooked only in water, without dressings and temporarily while the usual food is being obtained.
On visits to the veterinary doctor and health checks of pets, the academic says that in this time we must prioritize those that are strictly necessary, such as medical emergencies and the inoculation of vaccines, since the latter is the best prevention against several infectious diseases, leaving for later surgeries that are not perentory and visits to the canine hairdresser.
In what cases should I seek if or if the veterinary doctor?
Emergency:
· Patients with vomiting and/or diarrhoea especially if they are under one year old and without vaccines per day.
· Patients polytraumatized, convulsive, contussive and trauma patients such as hit- and fall.
· Patients with elimination of biological fluids (blood, pus) by natural pathways such as oral, nasal, genital or digestive cavity.

Original source in Spanish