Pets and Pollution: What Can You Do to Protect Your Fluffy Babies From the Terrible Air?

So you've got yourself covered with some air filter systems and fitted out in the latest mask. What about fluffy and spot though? We talked to Mary Peng of the ICVS about the effects of the pollution on your pets, and how you can protect your cute pets from the pollution on bad days. 

“As much as pollution can affect any of us, humans, it has the same dangerous effects on our pets. We see a lot of older animals, and the same concerns that we have for children, the elderly, and the already-compromised, we see those same patients in the animal kingdom" she says.

Exercise 

Exercise is vital for all pets. For larger dogs especially, it is really important to keep them busy. If not, you'll see their behaviors changing, as they will go crazy from being inside for too long.

Peng tell us: “When you go outside, try and pick the times of day when the air is a little bit better. If you wake up in the morning, and like most of us, check your phone for AQI levels, you’ll see that in the morning usually it’s much higher. And then it starts to decrease a little, depending on the winds, so you just have to get a feel for it and really do use these air apps. Then time your walks for your dogs, so that you’re reconfiguring your day a little, and you are making the most of the times of the day when the AQI is much less high. You have to be opportunistic."

And of course, if you're going out with your dog, wearing a mask is vital for you. In the future, there will also be a mask for dogs. “Wearing a good mask is also critical for the people, and then we’re also working with a mask manufacturing company, we’re going to be developing a prototype for dogs.”

As for cats, cats are mostly indoors and are different, a little bit easier as such, as long as you have good air filtration system in your house the cats will be fine. Also highly important are toys: you've got to keep your cats busy. "The cat with the most toys wins," Peng says.

Toys

For cats, the ICVS has cat grass that can be planted indoors, little fluffy mice, or other toys on fishing rods. A cat tree can also be a great source of distraction and entertainment, which is especially important if you're out of the house during the day. Most other pet stores will also sell a wide array of toys, and you'll have to see what works for your cat.

If you really can't leave the house with your dogs very often as a result from the pollution, get them more toys. Bouncing around a little rubber ball is easy enough especially for little dogs that spend more time indoors anyway. One toy that Peng recommends is the puzzle toy. "It expends their energy, gives them something to do for a longer time."

Diet

Also, if you're not going outside with your dog as much, which is the unfortunate reality in times of airpocalypse, don't feed your dogs the same amount of food, since they're not using as much energy. In the long run, this is important so as not to overfeed them.

If your dog is a snub-nosed breed, elderly, or has a history of respiratory infection, do not take them out too much during times of bad air. Instead, adjust your house for them to get their exercise indoors: Peng even recommends treadmills for dogs. "Teach your dog how to walk on a treadmill. My golden retriever loves a good treadmill, when he was younger he would do ten kilometers on a treadmill at a time!" Of course you'll have to teach them how to do it, and be there the whole time, but if you start of slowly they will learn and love it.

More stories by this author here.
Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
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Photo: abc.net.au, gizmodo.com