If you care for your pet, and we know you do, then it is important to also allow a veterinarian to care for them. Your vet is the one who can provide vaccines, check your pet for ongoing conditions like arthritis and parasitic infections, and recommend medications to treat fleas and ticks. Most vet are very familiar with treated dogs and cats, and many will also treat rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, and other household pets. If you'd like to learn more about veterinary care, then plan on spending some time on this website. It's a good resource for any curious pet owner.
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COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, has shown itself to be extremely dangerous to humans. But what about your pets? If you have cats, it might alarm you to know that they could be in danger from it, too. Here's what you should do if you're worried about protecting your kitty.
The First Known Case
As of this moment, there's only one cat that veterinarians are certain has acquired the coronavirus. That cat is located in Belgium. It's believed that the cat caught the coronavirus from its owner, who came down with it the week prior.
Symptoms
At this time, symptoms of the coronavirus in cats aren't well understood. The one known symptom that strikes cats is respiratory difficulties. It's unclear if cats develop any of the other common symptoms that humans do, like a fever. However, if you notice that your cat seems to be wheezing, coughing, struggling to breathe, or hyperventilating, it needs help right away.
Treatment
At this time, there is no cure for the coronavirus for either humans or pets. But that doesn't mean that your vet can't help.
First things first: if you even suspect that you have the coronavirus, ideally you want someone else who hasn't been exposed to you to bring your cat to the vet. For what it's worth, there's no evidence that cats can get humans sick with the coronavirus, so they should be safe bringing your kitty in.
Once your kitty is at the vet's office, the vet may recommend that they become hospitalized there. This will allow your vet to provide them with respiratory support. One such example is by placing the cat in an oxygenated chamber that will increase the amount of oxygen they receive, which should make it easier for them to breathe.
Prevention
If your cat isn't showing any signs just yet, then take steps to protect them. Stay away from your cat and self-isolate in a room they don't have access to. When you have to leave the room, don't touch your cat and keep your face covered with a mask or cloth. It may be hard to go without their fuzzy embrace for a while, but it's for the best.
The scientific understanding of the coronavirus is still developing, and for now, it's best to assume that your pet could potentially contract it from you. Unfortunately, it seems they can also contract it from other cats, so if one of your cats seems ill, isolate it from any other pets that you have.
To learn more about pets and COVID-19, contact an animal hospital in your area like Angel Pet Hospital.
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