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Understanding Dog Health
by Sally Ricco
http://www.petdoghealth.com
Does your dog have lively eyes, full energy and lots of
vitality? Is your dog's coat shiny and bright? These
visible signs of a healthy dog are pretty easy to spot.
And, as a dog owner, your role in getting your dog into
this healthy state and keeping your dog in this
condition is important.
Let's start with something quite basic - food. Every
animal needs food and water to stay alive. As we know
from human experience, not just any food will do; the
quality of the diet matters a great deal too, and
contributes towards staying well. We know that human
malnutrition can be caused by too little variety in
food. Applying this to our much-loved dogs means
ensuring that they get a diet rich in all the vitamins,
mineral and nutrients a dog needs. Luckily for us this
has been made very simple these days - all we need to
do is buy a decent brand name complete dog food. Try
to steer clear of the very cheap versions because they
are sometimes little more than cornmeal.
Just like us humans, canines can overeat and become
overweight. In the wild, this problem never happens
since an out-of-shape animal can't fend for itself and
doesn't stick around very long. The only time an obese
animal is found is when it's domesticated. Although
some kind-hearted pet owners think they're making their
pet happy if little Tito is eating lots and lots, these
owners are actually shortening their pet's lives and
putting them at risk for respiratory problems, arthritic
pain, diabetes and heart disease. These obese pets also
are more likely to pass away if they need to be put
under anesthesia for surgery. (Unfortunately, this is
also true for obese people.) Thus, feeding your dog the
correct food in the correct amount is ultimately the
most important way to show how much you care for your
pet.
Addressing the condition of your dog's coat, skin and
stools is another way to have a healthy pet. Ticks and
fleas carry diseases that can make your dog sick.
Instead of a using a flea collar, which isn't always
effective, apply a spray or good powder according to
the directions on the box or bottle. Attend to a flea
problem right away and hit the spots where the dog
frequently lies first. Whenever you vacuum these areas,
empty the vacuum bag immediately. Also, keep the dog's
bed washed, especially after he's lied there. These
measures will reduce more outbreaks and will remove the
nesting eggs and nasty fleas from your home's fabrics
and carpet.
Be careful to check your dog's fur after a walk in the
country, since this is when they are most likely to have
picked up ticks. Finally check your dog's stools for
evidence of worms. Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms
and tapeworms all can infest a dog's intestinal tract,
though not all are visible to the naked eye - this is
why a regular worming schedule needs to be followed.
These practices are easy ways to make sure your dog is
healthy. You can also do other measures to increase your
pet's health such as regularly visiting your veterinarian
and giving your pet vaccinations on schedule. In this
caring manner, you're helping your dog live a long,
healthy and comfortable life.
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