Anyone who has ever had a dog or cat only wants one thing for it: to be healthy and live a long time. Here are 5 health tips you can do to help your pet do that.
Contents
Feed a high-quality diet
Pets who eat a good diet have healthy skin, shiny hair, and bright eyes. A good diet can help your pet’s immune system, keep his or her gut health, improve his or her mental sharpness, keep his or her joints and muscles healthy, and much more.
Keep your pet lean
When pets are too fat, they are at risk for a wide range of health problems. Obesity is the most common nutritional disease seen in pets right now, and studies have shown that being overweight or obese can cut a dog’s or cat’s life span by up to two years. Why? Your pet is more likely to get joint disease, heart disease, and diabetes if overweight or obese.
Read More: Grooming Tips for Your Pet During the Winter
Take your pet to the veterinarian regularly
All pets, including dogs and cats, need to go to the vet regularly. But veterinary care is about much more than just routine shots, even though those are important. Your vet can find health problems you don’t know about during a regular checkup. In many cases, getting an early diagnosis makes it more likely that treatment will work. Early diagnosis is also expected to cost you less than waiting until your pet’s illness is worse and more advanced before trying to treat it.
Keep your pet’s mouth clean
Dental disease and other problems with the mouth and teeth are common in dogs and cats. This can hurt your pet and make it hard for him or her to eat. If oral health problems aren’t taken care of, they could even lead to heart and kidney disease. Besides getting regular dental checkups, the best way to care for your pet’s mouth at home is to brush his or her teeth. There are other ways to care for your pet’s teeth if he or she doesn’t like toothbrushes. These include dental diets, treats, and toys. Ask your vet what they think you should do.
Don’t let your pet run around on its own
Putting your dog or cat outside may seem like a good thing to do for your pet. But pets that roam are at risk of several dangers, such as car accidents, being eaten by other animals, getting sick from contagious diseases or poisons, and more. Also, letting your pet roam around unattended may make your neighbors dislike you if your pet ever “goes to the bathroom” on their lawn or digs up their garden.
