During the Covid-19 pandemic, most veterinarians are limiting the type of appointments and interaction with their four legged patients. I received an email from my vet and thought, “Now, more than ever I need to keep Chuy extra healthy with these new Covid-19 rules.”
I must have jinxed myself because a few days later I forgot about a bowl of raisins next to the couch. I hate raisins so I pick them out of my trail mix. When I got up, Chuy went in for the kill and ate a good chunk of them before I realized it and stopped him. I felt awful. How could I be so dumb?! Anyways, I digress.
So, I got to experience going to the ER vet in the post Covid-19 world. It’s not something that you want to experience if you can help it. At my local vet, you can’t visit your dog if they are hospitalized and you can’t come into the office what so ever. Chuy was there for two nights and it was horrible.
I deeply respect and appreciate what the vets are doing but that doesn’t take away the fact that it was hard AF to pass Chuy over through my window in an emergency situation. So, keeping your dog out of the vet right now is the best case scenario to avoid all of this.
How To Keep Your Dog Safe During Covid-19
I’m going to share some tips to keep your dog safe during the Covid-19 pandemic so that you can avoid an emergency vet visit.
Keep Human Food Away from Your Dog!
I’m super vigilant about keeping food out of reach. Chuy is food driven and will literally try and eat anything and everything. I guess my brain was thinking a million different things given what’s going on right now. I made an honest mistake by leaving the raisins next to the couch. Please learn from my mistake. Keep all the human food away from your dog! Especially food like raisins and grapes that are toxic.
Vacuum on the Regular
This seems pretty obvious but with so much going on right now, it’s easy to forget to do the simple regular tasks. The carpet is another place where dogs can pickup things they shouldn’t be consuming. The kids drop stuff, you track things in on your shoes, etc. Vacuum daily or with some kind of regular schedule to keep the mess to a minimum.
Keep Your Dog Clean
When Chuy got home from the vet, I took him directly to the bath tub as soon as we got home since dogs can possibly carry Covid-19 in their fur. Regular grooming and bathing are a must. If you take your dog to a groomer, they aren’t going to be open right now. Follow up with at-home grooming and regular baths.
Wash Bowls and Bedding
Regularly clean your dog’s food and water bowls, bedding, and toys.
Keep Your Dog Active
Chuy is ten years old and has IVDD. He is still extremely active and energetic for his age. When you’re on lock down, it’s easy to get stuck on the couch not moving. That is no bueno for your dog’s joints. Keep doing short daily walks and getting in some exercise. This helps not only with your dog’s physical health but their mental health too. Plus, the same for you!
Read This: Boredom Busters for Your Dog During the Lockdown
Order Your Dog’s RX & Heartworm Preventative
The last thing you want to do during the pandemic is to run out of your dog’s RX and/or heartworm preventative. See if your vet has online orders available. I order our monthly heartworm preventative from 1-800-PetMeds and they connect directly with my vet for approvals.
Don’t Try New Dog Food Right Now
I would recommend that you do not introduce any new food or treats into your dog’s diet right now. If they have a bad reaction, you may end up at the vet. Save the new food for after the pandemic when vets are back to normal hours and procedures.
Be Careful with Household Cleaners
Right now, we are all using more household cleaners to sanitize our homes. Some household cleaners that help prevent COVID-19 aren’t safe for your dogs. Please keep your dog out of any rooms where you’re using cleaners that include bleach, alcohol, and other harsh chemicals. Also, keep the cleaners sealed tightly and away from pets and kids!
Read This: Cleaning Hacks for Dog Moms
Let me know in the comments how you’re keeping your dog safe during the pandemic.
Cathy says
Poor Chuy and poor you for having to be away from him for a few nights! I know my 3 dogs have just had regular vet visits thru this thing and it was hard to hand them over and not go in with them. I can only imagine how hard it would be during an emergency.
Thanks for the reminders above.