If you have a pet you will always want to ensure that they are living their best life, they are your companion after all. Our South Plainfield vets share 7 pet care tips on keeping your pet happy and healthy and providing them with the best life possible.
Providing Your Pet With Lifelong Health & Happiness
Our South Plainfield vets know that you love your pet and want them to live a long and happy life. An essential step in helping your pet live a life that promotes good health and longevity is to adopt the basic pet care tips below and make them a part of your pet's everyday schedule.
1 - Long Walks Will Help Your Pet Stay Healthy & Entertained
A tired pet is a happy pet. Taking long walks with your pet every day (rain or shine) helps to promote physical fitness for both you and your pet, and helps to keep your pet's brain active. From a young age, regularly encountering new people, pets, noises and smells while safely by your side can help to give your pet a sense of contentment. Long walks together will also help to build a strong and loving bond between the two of you, and may even help to improve your fitness level too. For most breeds a good starting point is 2 thirty-minute walks a day but be sure to check with your vet to find out what the correct level of exercise is for your pet - and of course - check with your doctor before starting any new exercise plan.
2 - Provide an Appropriate Diet with the Right Portions
Along with exercise, good nutrition is essential for building a strong body and immune system for your pet. To be healthy, your pup will need a diet that provides all the right nutrients based on their age, breed, and stature. Each meal should also be measured so that your pet receives just the right number of calories to support a healthy lifestyle. Deciding what to feed your pet, as well as how much and how often can be overwhelming. No one understands your pet's nutritional requirements better than your vet. Speak to your vet about the best food for your pet, and ask them to calculate the perfect portion size to suit your pet's needs.
3 - Help Monitor & Manage Your Pet's Weight
Obesity in pets is becoming increasingly common, leading to increased health problems for many dogs and cats. Pets carrying extra weight face an increased risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and joint issues to name but a few. By closely following steps 1 and 2 throughout your pet's lifetime you should easily be able to keep your pet at a healthy weight based on their breed, age and size. Not sure if your pet is at a healthy weight? Speak to your vet, or breeder, to find out how much your pet should weigh, and how to help your pet achieve their ideal weight.
4 - Routine Dental Care Should be of the Utmost Importance
Your pet's oral health strongly affects their overall health. If your pet has gum disease or decayed or broken teeth they will likely be feeling a great deal of discomfort, but these conditions could also negatively impact their overall health resulting in conditions such as heart disease. Help your pet to maintain good oral health by taking them for regular dental cleanings and exams. Routine dental care can help to prevent more severe conditions that could be costly to treat.
5 - Ensure That Your Pet Cannot Get Ahold of Toxins
A number of foods and medications that are fine for humans can be extremely toxic to dogs including chocolate, raisins, and any foods or drinks containing the artificial sweetener xylitol, and NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen. Household products that are toxic to pets include fabric softener sheets, many essential oils, bleach and toilet cleaning pucks. Of course, the list of toxic substances is far too long to include here, but if you are concerned that your pet has eaten something they shouldn't have, contact your vet right away for urgent assistance. We also suggest making a habit of pet-proofing your home every time you put away your groceries to help keep your pets safe and healthy.
6 - Vaccinations & Parasite Prevention Will Keep Your Pet Safe
Maintaining up-to-date vaccinations for your pet, and administering appropriate parasite prevention medications when needed, can help to protect your pet against a range of highly contagious and serious conditions that can negatively impact your pup's long-term health and longevity. Your pet's vaccination and parasite prevention requirements will be based on their lifestyle. For example, a hunting dog that spends a great deal of time in tall grass and water will have very different requirements to a pug who calls a New York apartment home. Ask your vet which vaccines and parasite medications are right for your pet.
7 - Routine Wellness Exams Can Help Ensure That Your Pet Stays Healthy
Your vet is dedicated to keeping your pet healthy. You can provide your dog or cat with ongoing pet care by bringing them in for routine wellness exams your vet is able to take care of those vaccines, provide advice on nutrition, monitor your pet's weight, and watch for any developing health concerns. Healthy middle-aged pets should be seen about once a year, but if your pet has an underlying illness, is very young or elderly, your vet may recommend checkups every 6 months or more. Spotting the earliest signs of developing conditions allows for treatment to begin when it is most effective, these checkups also allow your vet to provide elderly pets with proactive treatments to help your pet feel more comfortable as they continue to age.
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.