1. Regular exams are vital
Your pet can have heart disease, arthritis, or toothache just like you. Your veterinarian should be consulted every year to detect and prevent these problems.
Regular examinations are essential to ensure your pet’s health. Regular vet visits should cover nutrition and weight control as well as recommended vaccinations, parasite prevention, and health screenings.
2. Spay and Neuter your Pets
Every year, shelters in the United States house between 8 million and 10 million pets. Some pets are lost, abandoned or homeless.
Spaying and neutering your pets is a simple way to reduce that number. This procedure can be done as early as six to eight week old.
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Spaying and neutering not only reduces the number of unwanted pets, but also has many other benefits for your pet. Spaying and neutering is also proven to lower the risk of certain types of cancers, reduce the likelihood of your pet getting lost, and decrease the likelihood of your pet wandering.
3. Prevent Parasites
Fleas are the most prevalent external parasite that can affect pets. They can cause skin irritation, hair loss, hot spots and infection. Other parasites can be introduced to your dog or cat by fleas. Tapeworms are the most common parasite in dogs and cats. All that is required is for your pet’s to swallow one flea.
Prevention is important all year. It is crucial to maintain a healthy immune system, including regular parasite and flea control.
Some parasite medications for dogs can cause death in cats. Talk to your veterinarian about keeping your pets safe and worm-free.
4. Keep a healthy weight
Many cats and dogs are obese or overweight. Pet obesity is a serious health risk, just as in humans.
Douglas says that obesity is most often caused by overfeeding. He also adds that pets can live for many years if they are kept trim.
Pets require far fewer calories than we think. A small dog or cat that is inactive may need 185 to370 calories per day; a large cat might need 240 to 350 calories per day. Talk to your vet about feeding recommendations based on your pet’s age, weight and lifestyle.
5. Get Regular Vaccinations
Regular vaccinations are necessary for pets to be in optimal health.
The frequency of vaccinations your cat or dog needs depends on their age, lifestyle and health. Talk to your veterinarian about the best vaccines for your pet.
6. Provide an Enriched Environment
A healthy environment is key to your feline friends’ long-term wellbeing and health.
Mental stimulation is important for pets. This could mean walking your pet daily, or playing with toys, scratching posts, and window perches for him. Play time with you is important for your four-footed friends. It helps keep boredom away and keeps your pet’s muscles toned.
7. Your pet can be microchipped and tattooed
As few as 14% of lost pets are able to find their way home due to lack of identification, Microchipping and/or tattooing are two ways that pets can be reunited.
A microchip, about the same size as a rice grain is placed under the skin in just a few seconds. It doesn’t require a battery and can be scan by a vet, animal control officer, or other personnel in seconds.
8. Pets Need Dental Care, Too
Your pet can experience tooth pain, gum disease, tooth loss and even tooth decay just like you. Regular brushing and regular cleanings are important to keep your pet’s smiles healthy and strong.
Dental disease is a common and preventable illness in pets. Yet, many pet owners don’t even bother to check their pet’s mouths. Around 80% of cats and dogs will have signs of dental disease before they turn three years old. This can lead to chronic pain, abscesses and loose teeth. Proper dental care can prevent periodontal disease. Dental care for owners includes brushing, dental rinses, and treats.
9. Never give pets or people medication
Your pet can be killed by medicines made for humans. In fact, the ASPCA has listed human drugs among the top 10 pet toxins in 2010.
The most common poisonings in pets are NSAIDs such as naproxen and ibuprofen. But, antidepressants and decongestants, muscles relaxants and muscle relaxants are all human drugs that can pose health risks for pets. Dogs and cats can be affected by human drugs, including seizures, kidney damage, and cardiac arrest.
Your veterinarian should be contacted if you suspect that your pet may have taken your medication or any other toxic substance.
10. Proper restraint in a vehicle
Your pet should be safe in your car. Driver and pet can be distracted by unrestrained pets and could cause serious injury. Keep pets safe while in transit
Do not allow pets to ride in the front seat. They could be seriously injured or even killed if the airbag opens.
Do not allow dogs to ride in the truck bed or with their heads out of the window. These practices can lead to them being thrown out of the vehicle if they are involved in an accident.
Keep pets safe by confined cats in carriers and then fasten the carrier with a belt. You have the choice of attaching a harness to your seat belt or using a secure kennel for dogs.
