Detergents and hydroalcoholic gels are not made to "disinfect" dogs and cats in front of Covid-19. They even represent a danger to their health. Faced with the upsurge in incidents involving domestic animals, the Order of Veterinarians is sounding the alarm.
In the midst of a coronavirus epidemic, the fear of contagion leads to dangerous behavior by certain masters. For a few days on social networks, Internet users have been posting images of dogs whose legs have been burned by hydroalcoholic gel or bleach.
Soapy water only
"It is curious to think of disinfecting your animal with detergents or hydroalcoholic gel when you know that soapy water or a dog shampoo works very well", reacts Tuesday to AFP Christine Debove, advisor of the Ile-de-France Veterinary College. Dogs and cats lick each other and these products "can cause mucosal irritations and skin reactions".
The veterinarian warns that "if the dog or cat ingests alcohol by licking it, it will have a more accentuated reaction than a human because they do not digest alcohol properly". She recalls that washing her dog's legs after returning from the walk with soapy water is a “basic hygiene gesture that one should have all the time”. "It's effective enough! "
Keep your distance from unknown animals
She adds the importance of "respecting the distance between humans and animals, washing your hands very often when you have played with them and avoiding close contact, licking your hands and face". In addition to these basic rules the veterinarian advises "when we meet a dog or a cat that does not belong to us not to pet him, or to let him approach us".
Although there is no scientific evidence that animals transmit Covid-19, the Academy of Medicine last week called on the owners to apply precautionary principles.
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