No one wants their dog to get sick; this is a member of your family, after all, and when they are unwell you are going to worry about them.

Add to this the vet bills that can be very high, plus the additional care and medication you may need to give, and the idea that, in the most serious of cases, you can lose your best canine friend, it makes sense to ensure your dog is as healthy as can be as much of the time as possible. Read on for some useful tips to maintain your dog’s health as far as you can.

Get Them Checked Out

If your dog is showing even the smallest sign of being sick, get them checked out by a veterinarian as soon as you can. The earlier a disease or condition can be diagnosed, the more chance there is of being able to deal with it successfully.

On top of this, it’s wise to visit your vet on a regular basis, again to pre-empt any kind of illness that might be on its way. If you have pets at risk for diabetes, for example, this kind of extra care is crucial because this can be a fatal illness when not properly treated.

Although it is going to cost more to visit your vet on a more regular basis, this should simply be looked at as just part of the cost of owning a dog, and should be budgeted for from the start. That way, you can do everything in your power to keep your dog healthy on any kind of budget.

Exercise

Something a dog needs more than anything else is a lot of exercise. Depending on the size, the breed, and the overall health of the animal, they may need more or less exercise, but they will never not need any at all (unless they are very old or sick, of course). Exercise will help to keep your dog healthy, just like it does with humans. They will keep their weight at a good level, they will burn off excess fat and calories, and on top of this, they will have their brains stimulated too.

The last thing you want in your home is a bored dog. When dogs are bored they act out, just like children, and you’ll find this is when even the best-trained dog will chew shoes and cushions and dig big holes in the garden. They are simply trying to keep themselves entertained, and this results in a lot of chaos and destruction.

Taking your dog for a walk at least once a day (and ideally twice a day) is the perfect plan to give them their recommended exercise and to stop them from being bored too. If you can’t get out for a walk every day, then having a yard and plenty of toys for them to play with is a good alternative, but shouldn’t be used as a long term solution.

Take Care of Their Dental Health

Something that can often be forgotten when thinking of your dog’s health is their dental health, but a dog’s mouth can become very sore and cause them a lot of pain if it’s not looked after properly.

Signs that your dog might be having a dental issue include:

• Bad breath
• Swollen or bleeding gums
• Loose teeth
• Pawing at their face or mouth
• Trouble with eating
• Excessive chewing

If your dog is displaying any of these symptoms you should seek expert help. If they aren’t you should still work at making their teeth healthy. There are specialist chews you can buy that act as dog toothbrushes, and some people like to brush their dog’s teeth, although this will depend on the dog as to whether this is a sensible idea or not.

Originally posted 2020-09-29 18:05:26. Republished by Blog Post Promoter