As a pet parent, you need to be sure that your dog receives the best care possible. You need to be informed about the principles of pet care and meet your dog’s needs if you want to keep them healthy. Your pet will grow as long as you supply the proper diet, preventative care from vets, and a place to call its home. Thankfully, providing your dog with these necessities is not difficult at all.
Your Pet’s Essential Needs
You should have a game plan when you first bring home a pet to keep them in a healthy condition and happy. Nothing is worse than discovering that you could have avoided time and suffering by doing something quite simple. Right here are some things to remember to guarantee your dog’s health.
1. Health Checks
Preventative health care should be discussed with your veterinarian when you first get your dog. Your new pet will have a thorough physical check by your vet, which will also resolve any issues you may have concerning any medical conditions. Take this opportunity to ensure you have everything covered by taking an anti-worm, anti-flea, or anti-tick prescription. Ask a veterinarian if you have any worries; they are trained to handle behavior problems. Even if you do not spot any signs of illness in your dog, it’s advised to have them checked every six months. You can also find out more about TTA Surgery for Dogs here.
2. Vaccination
When pups are 6-8 weeks old, 10-12 weeks, 14-16 weeks, then yearly or every 3 years, vaccinations are needed, depending on the risks to your dog and what your vet advises. There are still outbreaks of diseases that are coming to be less prevalent, although vaccinations are being used more often. As part of your pet’s yearly examination, your vet will do a physical exam and update you on any changes in their health. Click this link to learn more about vaccinations against parasites.
3. Internal Parasite Control
The initial worming should begin at 2 weeks of age and proceed fortnightly for 12 weeks, then monthly when they reach 6 months old, and then every 3 months for intestinal worming or once a month for heartworm. A yearly injection for heartworm can also be done if your monthly preventatives are often ignored, although intestinal worming will still need to be done every 3 months. Using Interceptor just once a month is an easy and effective solution. You can deal with everything by combining this with Nexgard for ticks and fleas. Look for an internal medicine vet to learn more about this.
4. Dental Care
Preventing periodontal disease by brushing your dog or cat’s teeth daily using pet toothpaste and a soft brush is an important part of looking after your pet. The dental disease needs general anesthesia to safely clean all surfaces of the teeth once developed; therefore, avoiding it is far more effective in treating it. If you do not have time to clean your dog’s teeth, raw meaty bones, dental diets, and water additives might be able to help.
5. Proper Nutrition
As with people, the saying “you are what you eat” also applies to canines. They need to be provided a high-quality, balanced diet, although they are frequently highly experimental in what they will try to consume. Be sure to use high-quality, healthy proteins rather than inexpensive cereals like soy and corn in cooking or buying pre-made items. Your dog’s teeth will thank you if you pay attention to what you’re giving them and avoid treats with artificial ingredients. For some dogs, a prescription diet is required to deal with problems not covered by over-the-counter pet food.
6. Bathing and Grooming
Bathing or grooming your pet routinely is essential if he has a long coat to avoid matting, which can create pain and irritation to the skin. To maintain a healthy coat, you should take your pet to the groomer at least once every 6 to 8 weeks if their hair is consistently growing. Unless your veterinarian advises, you should not wash your pet more than once a week. If they need a shower, apply a gentle dog shampoo. Some pets just need a good cleaning and might not even require one.
