Keep Your Dog Healthy

 

All good dog owners want to keep their dogs healthy. You love your dog, and you want her to be healthy and happy. Help keep your dog on the path to wellness with these dog health guidelines.

Expert Veterinary Care

High-quality veterinary care sets the foundation for your dog’s overall health. Find a veterinar you can trust and visit regularly. Ideally, routine wellness examinations should be performed by your vet twice a year. Puppies and senior dogs should be seen even more frequently. If your dog has special needs, a chronic health condition or other illness, comply with your vet’s recommendations. Because your dog ages at a faster rate than you, many subtle changes can develop over a six to twelve month period. Routine visits allow your vet to closely monitor changes before your dog’s health gets out of control. Learn how to effectively communicate with your vet and you can expect the same in return. If you can develop a good connection with your vet, it can lead to long-term benefit for you and your dog.

 

Optimum Nutrition

Proper nutrition is a fundamental for keeping all dogs healthy. Diet directly affects your dog’s skin and coat, weight, energy level, and gastrointestinal function. If a problem occurs in one of these areas, it may be linked to improper diet.Choose good dog quality food made by a reputable company, or learn about homemade diets. Once you find the right food for your dog, use that food consistently. Watch your dog’s response to the diet over 4-8 weeks. How does her coat look? It should be shiny and free of flakes, but not greasy. Have you noticed a change in her energy level? A decrease in energy could indicate a problem. Has she lost or gained weight? Obesity in dogs is a very common problem which can often be reversed with proper diet and exercise. Excess weight loss may occur if your dog does not find the food palatable. If her response to the diet is poor, it may be time to look into other foods. A sudden change in dog foods can cause gastrointestinal upset, so switch over gradually unless otherwise directed by your vet.