Living with a dog doesn't just mean feeding it and taking it for a walk. Taking care of your he alth is essential to maintain your quality of life. This doesn't mean just taking him to the vet when he shows signs of illness. You also have to go to the periodic check-ups that the professional prescribes, deworm it regularly both internally and externally, vaccinate it or, depending on the characteristics of the dog, take it to the dog groomer.
Next, in this article on our site, in collaboration with iNetPet, we review the keys to take care of your dog's he alth.
Feeding
A dog's he alth begins with what he eats. For this reason, we must spend some time comparing different options, calmly reading the ingredient lists and worrying about how the food we choose is made, if we decide to buy it. Our guide must be quality.
Dogs need a diet based on animal protein from meat or fish. This can be supplemented with a smaller proportion of cereals, legumes, vegetables or fruits. The food must be adapted to the life stage of the dog, we have to offer it in the right amounts to prevent obesity problems and always give it at the same time.
As for what type of food to choose, it will depend on many factors. The best food is always homemade because we guarantee that the animal eats natural, fresh food with the perfect proportion of moisture. However, for this it is necessary to have certain knowledge in order to establish a balanced diet, so we recommend having veterinary advice. If you choose to feed the dog with dry food, it is essential, as we say, to select a quality one.
Discover what dogs eat in this other article.
The importance of deworming
Dogs can be affected by different parasites. There are external ones, such as fleas, ticks or mosquitoes, or internal ones, such as worms that can lodge in the digestive system, in the heart or in the lungs. That is why the veterinarian, depending on the characteristics of our dog, its place of residence and its way of life, will guide us on the most appropriate deworming schedule to keep parasites away from it throughout the year.
You have to bear in mind that parasites are not only a nuisance for the dog, but they can transmit diseases as serious as the babesia, filariasis or leishmania. In addition, many parasites can affect other animals in the house and even people. Hence the importance of deworming the dog from puppyhood and throughout his life.
In this other article we talk about how often to deworm a dog.
Vaccination
Another important pillar to take care of a dog's he alth is vaccination. Vaccines stimulate your immune system to build the defenses that will protect you from highly contagious and life-threatening diseases such as parvovirus or distemper. Vaccines are especially important if our dog is a puppy, but we must not forget that vaccination must be repeated periodically to ensure that protection is maintained throughout its life. See the Dog Vaccine Schedule for more information.
All vaccines should not be administered every year of the dog's life, however, the veterinarian will tell us which vaccines are essential for our dog and how often we should give them. In addition, in many places it is mandatory to administer the rabies vaccine once a year.
Basic dog hygiene
The cleaning of the paws, eyes, ears and teeth or trimming the nails must be done as regularly as our dog needs, depending on her CARACTERISTICS. The same goes for brushing and bathing. Maintaining proper hygiene and a coat in optimal condition will prevent the development of different pathologies, such as dermatitis.
Just as frequent brushing is recommended, especially during the moulting season, you have to be careful with the bathroom, since excessive washing or the use of inappropriate products could be counterproductive. In addition, it is essential that, if we bathe the dog at home, we make sure that we leave it completely dry, otherwise the humidity could cause skin problems. For greater security, we can opt to go to a dog grooming salon. There they can also guide us on the most suitable products and accessories for the hygiene of our dog.
Periodic check-ups at the vet
Getting used to checking our dog regularly is a good habit that will allow us to detect the presence of external parasites or different pathologies, such as tumors, eye and ear infections or even anemia, if we notice that the mucous membranes are pale. But, in addition, it is convenient that, at least once a year, we take our dog to the veterinary clinic for a check-up, precisely for the early detection of pathologies or to confirm your good he alth.
These check-ups are especially important in dogs over seven years of age, since aging is usually associated with the onset of diseases such as cancer, osteoarthritis or kidney or heart failure. Detecting them as soon as possible helps a lot to maintain our dog's quality of life.
Psychological well-being
Caring for and maintaining a dog's he alth is also paying attention to its psychological well-being. Providing exercise, stimulation, education, company and affection are the foundations of a happy dog, which is why we should not neglect these aspects, even if we have to ask for help of canine behavior professionals.
