Dogs require care and affection and they will live a long and healthy life. Using some health tips may prevent the occurrence of certain diseases, detect potential problems and keep your dog in good health. In addition to keeping your dog clean, you can also perform regular checkups and visit the vet to detect any possible health issues. Even if some diseases cannot be prevented, an early detection can save your pet’s life.
Veterinary Checkups
Ideally, your pet should have the same vet. A trip to the vet may be particularly stressful for the dog, so if the dog is familiar with the vet it can make things easier and more comfortable.
During routine checkups the vet will assess the general state of the dog; the vet can detect potential problems by performing a few blood tests. It can be helpful to bring a urine and stool sample for analysis.
A veterinary checkup every 6 months is recommended.
At Home Checkups
You may also perform at-home checkups to see if your dog is healthy. Take your dog’s temperature by using a rectal thermometer. The normal temperature is between 100 and 102 degrees F.
Check the dog’s mucous membranes and make sure they are pink and moist.
Check the dog’s heart rate; the normal heartbeat is between 100 and 150 beats per minute.
Dog Cleaning Basics
Your dog requires a regular cleaning and grooming. You should get tools that are adapted to your dog’s size, thickness and length of coat and choose a few shampoos and creams that agree with your dog’s skin. All natural shampoos are less likely to cause irritation in dogs.
When brushing your dog you should pay attention not to hurt the pet; mats can be difficult to remove, so take your time and try to disentangle these with patience.
An occasional massage can relax your pet and you may also detect any possible skin problems or unusual growths. Should you notice anything unusual, you need to visit the vet.
Clean the dog’s ears using ear drops or olive oil and cotton balls.
The nails will require trimming; be careful not to cut into the quick, as this can be very painful and you may also cause bleeding, plus the wound can get infected. If the nails are not trimmed on a regular basis, the dog can develop back problems.
Teeth Brushing
When cleaning your dog, don’t forget to brush his teeth. This should be performed daily, as plaque deposits can turn into tartar in 2 to 3 days and tartar can lead to complications.
The brushing can be performed with a pet brush or a children toothbrush and a flavored toothpaste formulated for dogs.
Keeping your dog’s teeth healthy can prevent a lot of health issues. Tooth decay has been linked to heart disease. In addition, periodontal disease can favor internal infections, as the bacteria from the gums can easily enter the blood flow and cause infections.
A professional teeth cleaning should be performed once per year.