Suffice it to say, it’s been another funny year. We saw the Bidens enter the White House back in January, the easing of most, if not all, of the restrictions placed on our social lives in April and, for the first time since 2020, regained feelings of hope that the future can only be brighter.
2020 and 2021 saw many of you welcome new pets into your homes, your lives and your hearts. But as restrictions continue to ease off and the world of work returns to what it was pre-Covid, many of those pets will start to feel somewhat anxious that their owners are no longer around. The question now is what’ll happen to your four-legged companion when you return to work?
Returning to work represents a massive change to your pet’s daily routine, to go from having their owner home 24 hours a day to barely seeing them in the evening. Many pets will feel lonely, experience separation anxiety and be generally missing your company, as much as you would miss theirs.
For dogs and puppies, it is important that you begin practicing leaving the house in a calm and quick manner (as if you were flying to the shop). You can gradually increase the length of time you spend away from your home which will, in turn, help your dog grow accustomed to being on their own. Otherwise, designing a feeding game for your pet will help to keep them occupied while you’re away from your home for extended periods of time. This can be something as simple as coating their favorite chew toy in peanut butter and freezing it! If you have a puppy or younger dog, introduce them to places that you couldn’t visit during the lockdown period. The more smells, sights, and sounds your dog experiences as a young animal, the less they’ll fear as an adult. Please contact us to ensure your puppy has received the vaccinations and preventative healthcare they need to keep them safe before they start going out.
Cats are… well, cats are cats. Their life during lockdown is probably not that different from their usual routine. They may have felt inconvenienced by the extra attention of their humans, but many cats would have avoided this by seeking out new hiding places. If your cat has lived indoors during the lockdown, it’s worth checking that they’re up to date with their preventative healthcare before they go outside again. We can provide you with your cat’s usual flea and worm treatments so please let us know if you’ve run out. For parents of new kittens, please arrange for us to vaccinate, neuter and microchip your furry pride and joy before letting them go outside. Because of the lockdown, your kitten might be older than usual before this happens, but we’ll do all we can to ensure they’re ready for butterfly-chasing season!
At our Village Vets website, we have literal mountains of articles and blogs on a wide range of topics; from house breaking a new pup to combating the stresses of Christmas and Halloween. But, that’s not the only service we offer... Give us a call, whether it’s for advice, help, or to book an appointment. We’re always on hand, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, to give you and your pet peace of mind.
We’ll be expecting many of you into our clinics over the next few months as your pets celebrate their first (or second) birthday; between check-ups and operations we’re always busy! But fear not, when you and your four-legged friend walk through our doors you’ll know you’re in safe hands. And besides, the best way to thank your pet for their loyalty over those hard, lonesome months is to give them a clean bill of health. ‘Your health is your wealth,’ as they say!
It will take all of us some time to get used to our old daily routines — but making sure those same routines suit our pet’s needs should be your top priority!