Caring dog owners want to take good care of their dogs. You love your dog and you want it to be healthy and happy. Follow some basic dog health guidelines to help your dog stay healthy.
Professional Veterinary Care
High-quality veterinary care lays the foundation for your dog’s overall health. The first thing to do is to find a trustworthy veterinarian and visit him regularly. Veterinarians should perform routine health check-ups at least once a year.
All dogs need to be vaccinated and given heartworm prophylaxis. Most dogs should also take flea and tick prophylaxis. Talk to your veterinarian about vaccinations that are appropriate for your dog’s lifestyle and the most appropriate type of heartworm prophylaxis. Talk to your veterinarian about options for preventing and treating fleas and ticks.
During the first few months of a puppy’s life, check-ups are required every few weeks, mainly to vaccinate the puppy and ensure that they are growing at a healthy rate. During these examinations, veterinarians and staff can also provide you with puppy rearing tips.
Healthy adult dogs typically need to visit their veterinarian annually for physical exams, vaccinations, and testing for heartworms and intestinal parasites. If your adult dog has special needs, chronic health problems, or other medical conditions, it is important to follow the veterinarian’s recommendations for follow-up visits and treatment.
Older dogs should visit the veterinarian at least once every six months, but if they have health problems, they should visit the veterinarian more often. Most veterinarians recommend annual laboratory tests to assess organ function and blood counts. Because your dog ages faster than you, many subtle changes can occur within six to twelve months. Regular visits to the veterinarian allow your veterinarian to closely monitor changes in your dog’s health before it gets out of control.
Learn how to communicate effectively with a veterinarian and you’ll be rewarded in the same way. If you can build a good relationship with a veterinarian, then this will have long-term benefits for both you and your dog.
Optimal Nutrition
Proper nutrition is fundamental to keeping all dogs healthy. Diet directly affects a dog’s skin and coat, weight, energy levels, and gastrointestinal function. If there is a problem with one of these aspects, it may be related to an improper diet.
Choose high-quality dog food from reputable companies or consult a veterinarian about a complete and balanced homemade diet. Once you’ve chosen your diet, observe how your dog responds to it over the next four to eight weeks.
- How does her fur look? It should be shiny and free of scales, but not greasy.
- Have you noticed a change in her energy levels? Decreased energy can be a sign of a problem.
- Did she lose or gain weight? Obesity in dogs is a very common problem that can often be reversed with proper diet and exercise. If your dog doesn’t feel like the food tastes good, he may experience excessive weight loss.
If your dog is not responding well to the diet, it may be time to consider other foods. Sudden changes to dog food may cause diarrhea and even vomiting, so change gradually unless otherwise instructed by your veterinarian.
Exercise Daily
Many dog owners underestimate how much exercise their dog needs to stay healthy and happy. A bored dog with excess energy will exhibit destructive behavior. This can lead to the diagnosis of separation anxiety or other behavioral problems. In some cases, bad behavior is actually the result of an excess of energy, rather than a true behavioral condition.
If you feed your dog a healthy diet, it will be full of energy. If your dog can’t release energy through exercise and activity, it may end up releasing energy on your furniture, carpets, doorways, or even your treasured rare books.
Before blaming your dog for causing harm, ask yourself if it is exercising enough. Generally, dogs need at least one to two hours of exercise per day, but this varies depending on the breed, size, and age. Over time, determine your dog’s ideal exercise regimen and establish a daily exercise routine. You may even notice an improvement in your health.
Dental Care
It’s easy to forget your dog’s teeth until you smell bad breath. Although it is generally accepted that it is not normal for dogs to have bad breath, it is a sign of a problem with the mouth. Plaque and tartar buildup can lead to some serious health problems.
It’s never too late to start focusing on preventative dental care. You can brush your dog’s teeth, use mouthwash, feed dental care products, or all of the above – just do a little. It’s best not to wait until a dental condition threatens your dog’s health. Of course, be sure to talk to your veterinarian about your dog’s teeth. Sometimes a professional cleaning may be required.
Periodic Carding
Grooming isn’t just for show dogs or “fancy” dogs. All dogs require some level of basic physical care. In general, your dog’s grooming needs will depend on its breed. However, your dog may have special needs due to health conditions such as allergies.
The average dog would benefit greatly from having their nails trimmed and bathed once a month. For short-haired dogs, groom once a week or bi-week. Long-haired dogs should be groomed daily. Dogs with growing hair may need to have their hair trimmed every four to six weeks.
Once you’ve identified your dog’s grooming needs, decide whether to do it yourself or hire a professional. Either way, schedule regular grooming time for your dog.
Pay Attention to Warning Signs
Since our dogs can’t communicate with us verbally, we have to rely on the signals they give. Your dog may exhibit a variety of signs that indicate a health problem. Just like you, your dog may develop a mild illness and heal on its own, so not all signs are something to be wary of.
Many dogs will instinctively try to hide the signs of a serious illness. Learn what to look out for and how to take appropriate action before the disease gets out of control. If your dog shows signs of illness, contact your veterinarian immediately.