Swiss veterinarians: social distancing for four-legged friends, especially cats

2020-11-12T21:38:51.463Z

Anicura, the Swiss network of veterinary clinics, based on the recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), launches the warning: obligation of social distancing, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, even for four-legged friends paws, especially cats. The cats no longer have to roam freely through the streets of European cities, but stay at home, respecting the obligations imposed by lockdowns and curfews. Dog owners must keep their four-legged friends at least 2 meters away from passers-by, and avoid walking dogs in public places. Following the recommendations of US colleagues, Swiss veterinarians recommend "treating your pets as family members, protecting yourself from infection until we improve our knowledge of the coronavirus." At the request of a user, Johannes Kaufmann, an Anicura veterinarian, states: "The surface, capable of transmitting the virus or the DNA of the virus, also includes the hair or nasal emission of pets." Virologist Volker Thiel, from the Institute of Virology and Immunology at the University of Bern, adds to the dose: “In principle, social distancing is just as good for animals as it is for humans to ensure that pets do not transmit contagion to humans or other pets. " However, no case of transmission of the infection from a pet to a human has been established so far. Anita Müller, animal psychologist, sends the recommendations back to the sender: “It is very doubtful that they can be kept locked up because they can be contagious. Stray cats go crazy if you lock them indoors, and they can tear apart an apartment. Try to explain the reason for a lockdown to a feline! Dogs, on the other hand, are social animals and must relate to both humans and their peers. "