How to keep your dog healthy

People keep pets, and dogs specifically for many reasons. Dogs provide companionship for many people, we share secrets with our dogs, they provide emotional support, and some provide entertainment.

Basically dogs take care of us and we ought to return the same favor. We need to provide them with an environment that guarantees their health and happiness. What can we do to ensure our dogs stay healthy?

If you want to learn how to keep your dog healthy, Here are several things that you can do:

Keep your dog healthy

The one thing to always remember is that health is directly dependent on diet. You should try as much as possible to give your dog a healthy and balanced diet. Look at the ingredients listed on the dog food. The ingredients should be composed of meat and vegetables mostly.

Also important is to watch how your dog reacts to food. Does it display signs of sensitivity or intolerance such as vomiting, diarrhea or any other skin conditions? If any you notice any of these signs it is vital that you stop giving the food and see the advice of a veterinarian.

Another important factor on how to keep your dog healthy is to take precaution when giving human food to dogs because a lot of times their bodies are not able to metabolize human food such as alcohol, onions and avocado.

These kind of food can be toxic to the dogs. Your dog needs to hydrate frequently to ensure proper body function. The water should be changed frequently and the bowls cleaned before every serving.

Provide your dog with periodic healthcare

Remember to always schedule regular examination and vaccines for your dog with the veterinarian. This way, your vet will be able to know your dog and to notice changes that may be a cause of concern. Routine check-up can help identify diseases at an early stage and treat them.

Get your dog vaccinated against rabies and Lyme disease. Most of these vaccines are mandatory in some areas and you should do it to avoid penalties as well as transfer of disease in cases where the dog bites someone, another dog or is bitten by an infected dog.

Monitor your dog to prevent fleas which can cause scabs on the skin, licking and scratching as well as specks in the fur. If you notice that your dog is infested with fleas, you can see your vet for oral medication.

Also wash your dog with flea shampoo to reduce the itching and scratching. Getting a flea collar and taking your dog for regular skin treatment are some of the ways to prevent fleas.

How to keep your dog healthy

Grooming for the dog

Grooming for the dog should be done on regular basis. First, you need to brush the coat to keep it shiny. Brushing the coat also ensures good circulation.

When brushing, look for any irregularities such as bumps, cysts, lumps, redness on the skin or any other conditions that may not be normal. Should you notice any, take your dog to the vet for examination and treatment.

Clipping the dog’s nails should be done as routine grooming. It might be uncomfortable for the dog at first but it will quickly ease into it. You should take care however to clip the sensitive parts of the nails which contain nerves and blood vessels.

Brush the dog’s teeth every day to keep them healthy. One last thing to always remember on how to keep your dog healthy is to check inside of your dog’s ears regularly.

Caring for your dog

Your dog should get plenty of exercise. Take your dog for a walk lasting between 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the breed of your dog. Exercise can also be fun for the dog. You can incorporate games such as fetch or Frisbee. Play time or walking can provide an excellent time to bond with the dog.

The reason why exercise is important for your dog is that it ensures that the weight of your dog is down to avoid obesity. Exercise can also help get rid of bad behavior such as tearing things up and inappropriate chewing.

Your dog needs to have a social life, trust me. You should try to carefully and slowly introduce him to people and other dogs. This should be done outside of the environment that he is accustomed to for instance at the park or any other places.

These are just a few tips on how to keep your dog healthy and happy and to ensure you have him around for a long time.

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