The one benefit of being home during the coronavirus crisis is you'll get to spend more time with your best bud. But are there any special cautions to keep in mind?
According to those in the veterinary community, dogs and cats don't seem to be carriers of COVID-19 and aren't thought to transmit the disease. The one supposed case in Hong Kong might have been due to "environmental contamination."
So unless you're infected, you can interact with your pet as normal. In fact, Dr. Daniel Smith of the West Village Veterinary Hospital in New York City encourages it.
However if you do have symptoms, "restrict contact with any animals just like you would around other people," advises the New York State Veterinary Medical Society. Dr. Smith adds to keep pets from other people as a precaution.