The crisis caused by the new coronavirus is also weighing on the work of veterinarians in our country. Animal caregivers who primarily treat pets have seen the number of patients halved in recent weeks, according to the College of Veterinary Doctors.
For veterinarians active in animal husbandry, the crisis has had little impact, but for veterinarians who deal mainly with pets, the consequences are more significant. “We work in compliance with the necessary restrictions“, Explains the president of the Order of Veterinary Doctors, Theo Borgers. “Our workload has been halved, many pet owners are postponing interventions, but we expect to catch up after the health crisis. For most veterinarians with a practice, this crisis is not insurmountable, but some young colleagues who have just invested in their own practice are under financial pressure. For them, government support is welcome. ”
Trained to treat infectious diseases
Representatives of veterinarians also explain that they are not afraid of being confronted with sick animals. “Only five animal infections have been diagnosed worldwide, which is simply negligible“Says Mr. Borgers. “The chances of seeing one in my practice are very slim. We are more attentive to symptoms, such as a cat with breathing problems, cough and fever. But we are trained to treat infectious diseases and that does not scare us. In addition, we find that people are very well informed by the media and therefore ask few questions about cases of coronavirus in pets.. ”
Belga
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