Staying home during the pandemic allows people to avoid the risk of getting infected by the virus. People should also exercise and have a nutritious diet to keep themselves healthy until everything goes back to normal.
But it’s also important for them to take care of our pets. They should make sure they remain healthy since they also help people cope with the situation.
Here are some ways you can keep your pet healthy during the pandemic.
Be Informed
The first thing you should do is to be aware of the latest information about COVID-19. If you’re working from home, it’ll be easier for you to remain on top of this since you’ll likely access the internet every day. While your social media account allows you to remain connected with your family and friends, you should also allot time to checking the latest news about the pandemic.
When you check for information, you should visit websites offering reliable information, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
While cats and dogs can get infected with the virus, it appears the infection transfers from humans to animals in close settings. So, if you’re able to keep the infection at bay and out of the home, your pets may not likely contract the disease if they stay home with you.
Give Them a Balanced Diet
Humans need a balanced diet to keep themselves healthy. The same thing goes for your pets. While you may think they eat anything you give them, you need to give them a mixture of nutrients that keep them healthy.
In this case, you should check with your veterinarian about the best diet your dog should have. They can give a formulated diet that’s suitable for your pets. At this point, you can stop buying canned dog food at the supermarket. Instead, you should follow the vet’s advice since the diet should have a good combination of protein, minerals, and fat to allow its tissues to function properly.
While dogs are carnivores, you can also give them vegetables to enhance their diet. Vegetables can also act as fillers for overweight dogs who may need to lose weight. You can also use them as healthy treats for your dogs, but don’t overdo it.
Additionally, some vegetables are not suitable for them since they can make them sick. For instance, garlic, chive, and onions can result in anemia. Unripe tomatoes can be toxic for your pets. You should also avoid giving them raw potatoes and avocado since these vegetables can make them sick.
Give Them Fish
Fish can also be included in the diet of your dogs since they contain protein and lipids that are good for them. They also offer a high nutritional value. Fish also contain omega-3 fatty acids since they allow the dogs to have healthy skin and a healthy coat.
The types of fish that are good for your dogs are whitefish, salmon, catfish, flounder, whiting, herring, and cod. If you’re unsure about the fish you want to feed your dogs, you should consult a vet. You should also avoid feeding your dogs raw fish and make sure it’s deboned before you cook it and feed it to them.
Remove Toxic Food
It’s already common knowledge the chocolates are lethal to dogs. But there are other food items that you should remove from their diet since they can make your pets sick. These items include caffeine, which can cause serious issues in the dog’s nervous system, and nuts since dogs cannot fully digest them and can lead to dehydration and diarrhea.
Mushrooms are also toxic to dogs. When your dogs consume mushrooms, they may experience seizures and sedation, among other issues.
Let Them Exercise
If you have a backyard, you should let your dogs run around to let them exercise. Besides keeping them healthy, letting the dog exercise allows you to practice any dog training they went through before the pandemic. You can also have fun with your dogs when they exercise in the backyard.
But if the backyard is too small, you can go out for a walk around the neighborhood. Just remember to keep the dog on a leash while going around, and you should wear a mask. You should also stay around six feet away from people who are not a part of your household. Exercising your dog also helps prevent canine depression, which can set in if it remains cooped up in the house for a long time.
Having pets at home is good for your physical and mental health. But you should remember that you should also make sure they remain physically and mentally healthy.
