It doesn't have to be complicated to help your canine best friend stay in optimal health. Here, our Palmyra vets provide you with 6 tips for helping your dog achieve lifelong good health, on top of giving them lots of loving attention.
The Health of Your Dog
We know you love your pooch, but it's a big responsibility to care for them. However, taking care of your dog's health doesn't have to be complicated. Below, we have shared 6 simple steps you can take to help prevent your dog from developing any health problems.
1 - Ensure Your Dogs Nutritional Requirements Are Met
Your dog's well-being will greatly depend upon the quality of the food they eat. To help keep your dog healthy, speak to your vet about the best foods for your dog based on its age, breed, and lifestyle. Your vet at Palmyra Animal Clinic will be happy to offer you tips and advice for finding the perfect food that meets the nutritional needs of your pup, whether you want to feed your pooch the best food to help them achieve optimal health, or you want to treat an existing condition through diet.
2 - Help Your Dog Stay a Healthy Weight
Obesity in dogs is linked to a range of serious health problems including joint pain and diabetes, this makes it imperative to their health that they maintain a healthy weight. After selecting a nutritious brand of food to feed your dog, your veterinarian can calculate the right amount of calories your dog can eat every day to stay healthy. Following this, you will easily be able to determine how much food you can give your dog at every meal.
3 - Provide Your Dog With Enough Exercise
Different breeds have different exercise requirements. While some dogs can stay healthy with a quick walk around the block, high-energy breeds may need an hour or more of vigorous exercise once or twice a day. Adequate physical activity not only helps to keep your dog's body in good condition, but it can also help to prevent mental boredom which can lead to destructive behaviors or anxiety. Remember to ask your vet or breeder how much exercise your dog will need. Some great ways to make sure your dog gets enough exercise are to take them for walks, play backyard games, and take them to the dog park for a bit of social time.
4 - Bring Your Dog for Routine Wellness Exams Annually
Diagnosing and treating conditions in the very earliest stages helps to ensure the very best treatment outcomes. Annual veterinary exams, when your dog seems healthy, are all about prevention, monitoring your pet's overall health, and checking for early signs of developing issues. Your vet will discuss your dog's diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors with you, ask if you have any concerns about your pet's health or behavior, then perform a comprehensive physical examination. Once the exam is complete your veterinarian will discuss any findings with you. If anything concerning has been detected your vet will make recommendations regarding diet, diagnostic testing, or treatment.
5 - Keep Them Up-To-Date On Vaccinations
The vets at our Palmyra animal hospital believe that vaccinations are the key to helping your dog achieve life-long good health. By keeping your dog up to date on its vaccinations, you are protecting them from a range of very contagious, possibly life-threatening diseases and conditions. By law, many states require all pets to be vaccinated against rabies, however, there are a handful of other severe illnesses that vaccines protect dogs from including panleukopenia, distemper, and parvo.
6 - Provide Your Pup With Parasite Prevention
Ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes can all carry organisms that lead to a range of diseases that seriously threaten the health and longevity of your dog. A bite from one of these parasites could cause your dog to become gravely ill if not protected. Speak to your vet about the most effective ways to protect your pooch against a full range of tick-borne diseases, heartworms, and other parasitic conditions common in your area.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.