Having pets is a lot of responsibility. And once you become parents, the responsibility increases manifold. Having a baby and a pet in the same house requires you to follow stringent safety standards so it is safe for both your baby and the pet. Getting a pet right after you have had a baby is an idiotic decision but if you already have a pet, it is preferable to keep it separated from the baby for a while since the baby may be allergic.
Most people love having a dog as a pet. But with pets, some standards must be followed like adopting from a known source, giving proper medical care to the pet and keeping track of whether your pet has been in contact with any other animal since it may transmit diseases.
Some other things that you must keep in minds are:
- Ensure a separate secure place for the pet so they don’t roam close to the baby.
- Ensure hygiene by giving the pet proper baths and feeding it hygienic food and water.
- Don’t leave your kid alone with the pet. You never know how an animal might behave and your child may get hurt.
- Wear gloves when you are washing your pets and sanitize your hands before touching your kid.
- Teach your kid how to behave with the pet and treat them kindly.
- Separate the toys so pets do not play with the same toys as the kid.
- Teach your kid to not get close to other pets even if they look harmless.
- In case a pet gets aggressive, teach your kid to remain standstill, avoid screaming and slowly back off.
- If your pet has given birth to babies of its own, it is best to leave it off and not disturb it. Animals can get aggressive when they think their little ones are in danger even if the person is familiar.
- In the case of cats, ensure that it has a litter box that is cleaned on a regular basis.
In case your child is bitter by a dog or a cat, it is best to wash off the wound and apply an antiseptic immediately before taking the child to the doctor. Birds are comparatively safer pets but even then if your kid touches the bird, ensure that he washes off his hands properly. Pets can lead to a lot of diseases.
Initially while your child is still getting familiar with the pet, it is better that you supervise them and remain alert to the behavior of the pet. Also ensure that your child does not tease or hurt the pet.