Across the world, life is starting to transition into a new normal with our pets. Pet parents are going back to work, parks and public spaces are reopening, and some kids are going back to school. All of these big changes to our routines in a short amount of time can really be confusing and frustrating to our furkiddos. No one really knows what the future has in store for us and what the new normal will unfold to be. We each have to do our best to protect ourselves and each other while regaining as much normalcy as possible. Our team here at NHV is doing their best to adapt to these new times so we thought we would share some of our experiences with you.

During this pandemic, my partner and I decided to adopt 2 kittens. This decision came after many years of living in Canada and the loss of my 16-year-old kitten, Federico. It was a long road to adoption. After many visits to the place where they were available for adoption, we decided to apply for two twin tuxedo sisters, Ozzy Melinda and Coconut Sylvester. It was an amazing decision to adopt them during the pandemic, as both of us were working from home. We could give them a lot of attention and care, especially because they had a herpes virus infection and they needed their medication in food, at a specific time of the day. I had to return to work at the office, but my partner is still working from home. However, they have now begun to pester him for attention all day. He says that Coconut comes to him and puts her paw on his arm asking him to play with her all the time, and Ozzy meows around the place looking for me.

It was an interesting experience to work from home for 2 months because of the pandemic. I was able to pay more attention to my cats and their habits and I noticed that one of them was sick. My cat, Kiki had urinary crystals but since noticing her symptoms, I was able to get her the right support and she is doing much better. It was probably a bit overwhelming for my cats because of all the extra attention and petting, but now that I’m back to the office I think they are able to take their extensive naps as before.

During the pandemic, my work-life remained the same as I chose to continue to come into the office with my ever-faithful companion Pacino. Our own routine did not change however the ambiance of the office did. With most of the staff working from home, the office was quiet and there were nowhere near as many treats for Pacino as before. Pacino was pretty bummed out and missing her co-workers and slept more than usual (which is a LOT). Now that things are slowly returning to normal, Pacino is a whole lot happier in the office to see everyone’s bright, smiling faces.

My dog, Lloyd was super happy to have us all home but to the point where he became a stage 5 clinger. My housemate and I would be trying to work on our computers, phones, etc and Lloyd wanted our attention. He wanted to be lying on our laps, to be picked up, and he wanted us to throw his toys for him all the time! Some days he was kind of lazy too, he would sleep beside me for most of the day while I was working. Now that I’m back to work, I think he missed me at first but my housemate is still working from home. He enjoys company but I think he will adjust to us being back to work. I would definitely consider getting a dog walker just to take him out for 30 minutes while we’re both working!

While working from home, my dog Jackson would be next to me every day and I started to notice some behavior that seemed unusual. I became concerned that something was going on with him. A trip to the vet calmed all my concerns and confirmed that the only unusual thing was me watching him like a hawk. Now, I am back to working at the office but my partner is still at home. We make sure that Jackson has at least 30 minutes at home alone each day to help him get used to being at home alone again. As we start to be more social again, we are gradually increasing the time Jackson spends at home to avoid developing separation anxiety. I think it is a good thing not only for him but also for me.

Before the pandemic, I used to spend at least 10 hours away from Monday through Friday for work. Since my dog, Auggie is just a puppy, he would get super excited whenever I got home and wanted to play all evening long. I would usually get home tired and wouldn’t give him all the attention he needed, which broke my heart. But working from home during this pandemic was the best thing that happened for me to create a strong bond with Auggie. He just loved having his dad around the house all day long and we would have lots of quick playtimes and cuddles throughout the day. Coming back to the office is hard because now I miss him so much more than before, but it also helped me have more strength to play with him whenever I get home, regardless of how tired I am. It’s just so much love that he gives me and I want to be able to give it back to him.

Pre COVID, my elderly kitty, Snowflake had moved to my parents’ home temporarily while I looked for a new home for both of us. When COVID hit, it was really difficult because not only could I not see my elderly parents, but I also couldn’t visit with my senior cat. I always felt like she might forget me. I must have harassed my parents daily asking how she was, did she get her daily brushes, what about her teeth, and how many times has she pooped this week. If COVID didn’t stress them out, I know these endless phone calls did. Now that things have opened up a bit, I’ve gone to visit her, and I am happy to say she still remembers her meowmy.

It was comforting to have my dog Chaya with me in the office when most of the staff was working from home. She was a happy distraction during stressful and lonely moments throughout that time. Going for our midday walks made sure that we were both getting some fresh air and clarity. I definitely felt a loving and needy connection from Chaya during this time as the bubble of people we were seeing was much smaller. Our cuddle time together increased because I am not spending as much time outside the office or our home. I am so grateful to have had Chaya by my side throughout this time but both Chaya and I are happy to have the team back in the office.

Everyone has had their own ways of helping themselves and their pets cope with the COVID-19 crisis. As always, we are here for our #NHVpets community and are here to help with any tips, guidance, and regimen suggestions during this adjustment period. We hope everyone continues to stay safe and healthy! We are also offering free online video chats with our in-house vets for some extra support. Send us a message or an email and we’ll be happy to connect!

https://nhvpethealth.com/back-to-the-office-supporting-stressed-pets-during-covid/

https://nhvpethealth.com/pets-and-coronavirus-pet-care-during-covid-19-crisis/