Sadly, one task many pet owners don't live up to properly is that of taking their dog in for routine vet visits. They only visit the vet in case have a dire emergency, and by then it’s often too late.
Ideally, your pet needs to be taken to your local veterinarian as soon as you’ve adopted or purchased it. This way, they’ll have a baseline to refer to as the years go on and they need to analyse their health progress. Plus, they can be microchipped and registered for security.
Choose your vet with care.
Make sure you get a good referral to a veterinarian that has your pet's best interest at heart. You want someone who combines knowledge and expertise with compassion and understanding.
One smart move as a dog owner would be for you to invest in pet insurance for all of the pets in your household. One of the saddest situations dog owners have to endure is finding out there’s something costly wrong with their furry friend and not being able to afford treatment.
Your veterinarian should routinely run lab work to evaluate your dog’s health. This will generally happen once a year depending on the needs of your dog. They will also check to see if we’ve got heartworms so that they can either be treated for it or put on preventative medicine.
If you ever have questions about your dog’s proper care and attention, a veterinarian is the perfect person to go to. There’s a lot of misinformation on the Internet and from well-meaning friends and family.
It's not only about visiting the vet.
Maintaining good health for you’re your dog is not just about blood work and vet visits. Much of it has to do with the grooming you provide for your four-legged friends. They need to be bathed when needed – which some of them love.
You’ll need to know which products to use for their bath sessions that won't irritate their skin. You'll also need to make sure you keep their nails trimmed or filed.
It can be very uncomfortable for a dog if you let their nails grow too long. But you have to be careful cutting them so that you don't accidentally cut into the quick.
Don't forget that dogs also need attention for more than just their physical health. Dogs are emotional animals, and as such, our owners must their our needs.
Make sure you have plenty of stimulation for your dog so that he doesn’t get bored, restless, or sad.
Be sure to play with them, engage with them as we get a new toy, go on a stimulating walk, or have some fun off the leash at a dog park.
You should work on growing the bond between you so that you both feel comfortable and safe with each other.
Other posts about keeping your dog healthy...
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