1) Make Preventative Pet Health Care a Priority
Preventive care aims at keeping your pet healthy, rather than reacting once they are already sick. A healthy pet is a happy pet! And as a good pet owner, it’s important to keep your pet up to date with these measures. Prevention is also typically less expensive than treatment in the long run. An annual wellness check allows your veterinarian to evaluate the overall health of your pet and detect any problems. Catching and treating a problem early can prevent it from becoming a bigger problem down the road. Early detection also improves the chances of resolving the issue successfully and with less difficulty.
Vaccines help protect your dog or cat from contagious diseases, many of which can cause serious illness or death. Vaccinations are important even if your pet is kept indoors as many contagious diseases are airborne or can live a long time. Parasite control, such as tick and flea prevention and deworming, are an important part of keeping your pet healthy and preventing serious diseases like Tick Bite Fever. Treating your pets frequently for these pests is also an important way to keep your family safe from the same parasites.
2) Spay or Neuter your pet
It’s strongly recommended that pet parents should spay/neuter their furry companions for several reasons. Females that go through heat are vulnerable to infection of the uterus, also called a pyometra. These infections are often severe, and most of the time the only effective treatment is emergency surgery, which is expensive and risky. Unsterilised pets are more prone to developing testicular and prostatic diseases and cancers or uterine and ovarian diseases and cancers. Both sexes can have unwanted changes in behavior when they reach maturity, such as peeing in the house, roaming, and increased interdog aggression. Sterilisation also decreases the number of unwanted puppy/kitten births which in turn decreases the burden on our overpopulated shelters and the stray/feral population.
3) Take Care of your Pet’s Teeth
Just like with our own teeth, good oral and dental hygiene for your pet can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease and even tooth loss as they get older. Often as pet owners we can be completely unaware that our furry kids have oral pain and tooth problems, such as a cracked tooth in their mouth, which is why annual dental check-ups and when needed professional cleaning are so important. Remember, preventative dental treatment can stave off costly tooth extractions. The ideal recommendation is that you brush your pet’s teeth daily but even once a week can help more than nothing at all. Also, there are prescription dental treats that can help if brushing is difficult.
4) Watch your Pet’s Weight
You may think your pet’s weight is fine but according to one study, 22% of dog owners and 15% of cat owners said their pet’s weight was normal when, in fact, it was actually overweight or obese. If your pet is overweight or obese, it can cause arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, certain cancers, heart and respiratory disease, and according to the Purina Lifespan Study, can take almost two years off a dog’s lifespan. Table food is the No. 1 thing contributing to weight gain in most dogs, and a lot of health issues are associated with it — from diarrhoea to pancreatitis. Continuous feeding also contributes to pets being overweight, as does lack of exercise. Part of being a responsible pet owner is making sure your pet eats a complete and balanced diet appropriate to their age, size, breed and lifestyle AND controlling how much your pet eats.
5) Mental and Physical Exercise is Key
Regularly exercising your dog or cat goes hand in hand with a healthy diet. Regular exercise helps your pet maintain a healthy weight, stay fit and strong and improves their mood. A simple daily walk and other outdoor activities help preserve muscle tone and joint health AND provides great mental stimulation for your pooch as he or she sniffs, sees, hears, and investigates the environment around them. Your pet’s activity needs will depend on age, breed, size, and overall health. Don’t be too busy to take time out of your day to play! It’s so good for your pet’s mental health (And it can be a great stress-reliever for you too!) and improves the bond between you and your furry kid. “Play” can be teaching your dog a new trick or simply throwing the ball around the yard or teasing your cat with a feathered ball on a string. Put your pet’s problem-solving skills to work with a treat-dispensing toy. The more you play with your pet, the better both you and your pet will feel.
