During Animal Protection Week, an online lecture was held to think about infection control for pets and their owners.

This was opened by the Ministry of the Environment and others on the 25th, and was delivered online with a lecture by Ken Maeda, Dean of the Department of Veterinary Sciences, National Institute of Infectious Diseases.



In a domestic study by Director Maeda et al., It was reported that there were a few cases in which the new coronavirus was thought to have transmitted from humans to pets such as dogs and cats, and most of them were asymptomatic.



He explained that it is important to avoid contact with pets as much as possible when the owner is infected, and to keep a distance by wearing a mask or using a cage when contacting them.



Ken Maeda, Dean of the Department of Veterinary Science, said, "Owners need to think about where they can be deposited with their acquaintances in case they become infected and cannot take care of their pets. However, it is safer to take measures against infection, such as shampooing your pet before depositing it, or taking care of the pet in a private room for a certain period of time. "

A visiting nurse takes care of me because I can't find a place to deposit my pet

Some people hesitate to be hospitalized because they cannot find a place to store their pets.



According to a visiting nurse who supports home care, a man in his 50s living in Chiba prefecture was infected with the new coronavirus and needed to be hospitalized earlier this month, but he could not find a place to leave his dog. Stayed at home as.



After that, the oxygen saturation in the blood worsened to 89%, so the nurse suggested that he be hospitalized to take care of the dog instead.



Nearly two weeks after the infection was confirmed, the man was finally hospitalized.



The nurse visited the man's home once a day and volunteered to feed and clean up after excretion until the man was discharged.



The owner's man said, "I thought I might die because I was suffocating during my home recuperation, but I had to put up with hospitalization. I am an important partner who has lived with me for eight years. I was asked to find a depository myself, and I couldn't go out and take him to a pet hotel because I was infected, so I didn't know what to do. "



Mr. Daiki Iwamoto, a visiting nurse who responded, said, "It is not the job of visiting nursing to take care of pets, but I was worried that my recovery should not be delayed because I could not be hospitalized. Not limited to this, many people who hesitate to be hospitalized because they have children or are caring for them need countermeasures. "

At accommodation facilities with pets and animal protection centers in Tokyo

What should I do if my pet is infected and I need to be hospitalized to take care of my pet?



First of all, the Ministry of the Environment wants you to find someone who can take care of you, such as your family and acquaintances.



If it is difficult, please consult with the local government or the local veterinary association.



In Tokyo, there is one accommodation facility in Tokyo where pets can be brought, and since its opening in October last year, 444 people have been treated with pets by the 17th of this month.



Also, if the owner is hospitalized and cannot find a depository, it means that the animal protection center in the city is accepting temporary custody and has deposited 158 animals from May last year to 22nd this month.



The Chiba Veterinary Association provides consultations when a depository cannot be found, and introduces veterinary hospitals in the prefecture.



In addition, there are private custody services, but there are few places to pick up pets, and we are asking people other than infected people to bring them.



The Ministry of the Environment and others are calling for "owners to prepare in advance in case they become infected."