As confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) start to grow across Canada and the world, it’s natural to be worried about your health and the health of your family, including your furry family members. According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that cause illness in people or animals. This newest strain of coronavirus is known as COVID-19.
Does coronavirus affect cats and dogs?
· At this time, there’s no evidence that suggests pets can spread COVID-19 to other pets or people.
· Our on-staff Registered Veterinary Technologists and Veterinary Medical Director continue to monitor any health-related issues and at this time, we haven’t seen any unusual activity or increases in our claims.
· There is a dog that tested “weakly positive” for the virus however, he didn’t show any symptoms and is doing fine. His owner had contracted COVID-19 and officials say he could have picked it up from surfaces he touched.
What should you do if your cat or dog is sick?
As always, if your dog or cat is sick, you should make an appointment with your veterinarian. Make sure to ask about what kind of precautions you should be taking for both you and your pet before you visit your vet’s office.
If your pet is sick, keep him or her away from dog parks, groomers, daycare, etc. to limit the spread. Diseases like salmonella and E.coli can easily pass between pets and their owners so it’s a good practice to take precautions like extra handwashing and avoiding playing or snuggling until your pet’s feeling better again.
What about Petsecure policyholders?
With the growing concerns around COVID-19, we are taking additional measures to ensure that we keep a safe work environment and continue to maintain a high level of service for our customers.
To contribute to ensuring claim payments can be processed quickly and efficiently, you can switch your claim reimbursement method to direct deposit. Please visit the Claims section in your customer portal to update your information.
You are a valued customer and we continue to be committed to taking care of you and your pet.
For more information on keeping yourself and your family safe, please check the Government of Canada coronavirus outbreak updates regularly.