Lots of people have pets. But not everyone knows how you should really take care of your pets. Sure, you go to the store and read the labels on the pet food products. But is this really enough? How can you detect signs of medical or emotional problems early?
These are all questions you should be asking yourself as a pet owner. In the sections below, we will run through the essentials of pet care, so that you know what to do to make sure your pet is happy and healthy.
Discover your pet’s origins
Figuring out your pet’s breed can be an important indicator of many things. Different breeds have different needs, tendencies, and risks of developing particular diseases. You can go online and order a cat breed test kit or a dog breed kit and more accurately determine exactly what your pet’s genetic composition is. It can be very useful in figuring out care methods.
Regular vet visits
Animals require more frequent vet visits than people do. You know the old saying about a dog year being equal to seven human years? Well, there is a reason for that. Dogs and cats live significantly less than people do, and therefore vet visits should be proportionally greater.
Vet visits are important for many reasons:
The vet can help provide nutrition and weight management tips
The vet can help detect medical issues early
The vet can provide insight into possible behavioral issues
The vet can find things like heartworms and treat them early
Vaccinations
Vaccinating your pet against diseases is essential. As soon as you adopt your pet, you should start scheduling vaccinations. For puppies in particular, this should take place within weeks of adoption.
Vaccination is critical to protect against diseases like rabies, Lyme disease, and distemper in dogs. Cats run the risk of developing feline herpes and leukemia. Regardless of the age of your new pet, be sure to get this done.
Nutrition
Accurately determining the best foods for your pet is quite similar to doing so for yourself. In other words, it can feel overwhelming. With so many products out there, each of which claims to be better than the others, how can you possibly choose?
There are things that you can look for. Specifically:
If you are a cat owner, look for cat food that has a healthy balance of carbs, fats, and proteins. This combination is essential to giving your kitty the nutrition it needs.
For dogs, look for foods that have both protein and a good amount of fiber. Dogs need this for their delicate digestive systems.
When looking for pet food, you should also take into consideration your pet’s age, health, and level of activity. Before you buy any kind of “specialized” food or treats, you should consult your vet as your pet might have a health condition that prohibits one or more of the ingredients.
Identification
We all worry about the possibility of our pet going astray. For this reason, it is essential that your dog or cat have the right ID. Be sure to invest in a tag that contains all of the necessary information, including your full contact details.
It is also advisable to get your pet a microchip, just in case the tag gets lost. A microchip is a tiny item that goes under your pet’s skin and can be read by a scanner and easily pull up your information. If you do both of these things, you can feel much more confident about your pet’s safety. Just be sure to keep your contact info up to date!
Spaying and neutering
Spaying or neutering is also an important part of keeping your pet healthy and contributing to a more responsible society overall. When you take the time to spay or neuter your pet, you are preventing a variety of health issues, and also helping to ensure that there are fewer strays on the street.
Spaying a cat helps not only prevent pregnancy, but also helps to minimize the possibility of cervical and ovarian cancer. It also prevents your cat from going into heat, thereby attracting aggressive male cats. Neutering a puppy helps to minimize aggressive behavior as well, and also eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.
Take measures early and often
If you make a point of addressing potential health issues early and often, you will go a long way in helping to ensure that your pet is happy and healthy. Beyond vet visits and proper nutrition, take the time to get a breed test so that you can learn more about your pet’s genetic makeup. And if you’re a dog owner, don’t forget those daily walks!