<p>Blood tests are an easy, safe, and relatively inexpensive way to peer inside your pets and find potential health problems. Analysis of the numbers and structure of blood cells is important in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease and infection. These tests can help us identify a problem before clinical signs&nbsp;or symptoms appear.

One benefit of our quarantine time during this COVID-19 pandemic is that many of us are getting more physical activity, and our dogs are getting more exercise, too. After all, getting moving outside is nearly the only thing to do for leisure at this point! The downside is that this is the time of year that many of us need to be hyper-vigilant about snakes when taking walks or hikes.

It's safe to say that most of us are bored these days. It seems forever ago that we could grab dinner or a drink with our friends; go to concerts or to the theater; or enjoy one of the many markets, festivals, or other events.

But have you considered that your pet may be bored as well? Maybe they used to accompany you to a market or brewery, or they were used to hanging out with their own pet pals when you went to the park. Sure, they’re happy you’re home more, but that can lead to even more frustration for you if you’re working from home with a bored dog.

It's hard not to panic when we get this constant influx of news on the COVID-19 virus, especially because the stream of information is steady, relentless, and always evolving. And that's also true when it comes to information about the COVID-19 virus and pets. Once you break down the information about how this virus relates to pets, you'll realize that fear is largely unfounded. And, yes, that's true despite the news of a tiger and two cats recently being diagnosed.

One silver lining during this pandemic is how many people have been adopting dogs. In fact, one Chicago shelter recently declared themselves cleaned out of adoptable dogs for the first time ever. Doesn't that just bring a smile to your face? Some people, however, might agree that this time of home quarantine is an ideal period to adopt but they are hesitant due to certain negative things they've heard about shelter pets. As veterinarians, we've seen firsthand how the love of a shelter pet has changed lives for the better.

Life has definitely changed in the past several weeks. We hear daily of more and more stores, restaurants, beaches, and parks being closed, along with a ton of event cancellations. "Social distancing" has become part of our everyday vernacular. In most states, we are allowed only to go out for essentials, to get gas, to walk our dogs, and to get exercise. We're generally allowed to walk outside freely (with the very strong recommendation that we endeavor to keep a distance of at least 6 feet from another person).

You lock the doors, set the burglar alarm, and climb into bed, with the family dog following close behind. You inevitably fall into one of two camps—your pet sleeps alongside you in the bed or he sleeps on the floor...likely in a dog bed beside you (or possibly a crate). If you fall into the latter camp, you might be considering loosening those restrictions due to COVID-19. Let's face it - we're all feeling more vulnerable these days, and your faithful friend beside you in bed can bring comfort.

As members of the veterinary community, we've been monitoring the situation with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) from the beginning. At a time when people are understandably prone to panic, it's more important than ever to separate fact from fiction. Pet owners want to know the straight truth about the possibility of pet infection and the spread of this virus, and we share the latest information on that in this blog post.