1. Make sure that your pet receives regular veterinary examinations. Your pet should receive a complete physical examination at least once per year. Examinations should be more frequent for puppies, kittens, birds, reptiles, small mammals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, gerbils, etc. Senior pets or pets with medical conditions also require more frequent examinations, and these pets may require diagnostic procedures on a regular basis. For the apparently healthy animal, routine wellness examinations, which may include laboratory testing, may reveal underlying issues in an early stage. For the animal with medical conditions, regular examinations can ensure that the current treatment regime is effective and will allow adjustments to be made to optimize your pet's care.
2. Make sure that your pet is properly identified. Although many dogs sport collars with ID tags attached to them, it is uncommon for cats or other pets to wear any visible identification. Some owners insist that their cat does not require identification because it never goes outdoors. In reality, the ‘indoor only' cat is at a greater risk of getting lost if it accidentally escapes because it ‘doesn't know its way back home'. Although the most economical and recognizable form of identification is an ID tag (or even a collar with the pet's name and your telephone number written in permanent ink on the inside), collars and tags can fall off or be removed easily. A better form of identification is a microchip that is permanently implanted under your pet's skin. Animal control officers and shelter employees routinely scan all stray animals that they pick up for a microchip. Without proper identification, your pet may get lost and never be reunited with you.
3. Don't skimp on nutrition. A good quality food is important to health maintenance. All pets require a high quality, properly balanced diet that is formulated to meet their specific needs. Different species and different ages of animals have totally different nutritional requirements. Feeding an improper diet will lead to serious health issues and may shorten your pet's life.
4. Pet-proof your home. Pets are naturally curious and can easily get into mischief. This is particularly a problem with juvenile animals that tend to be extremely inquisitive and are engrossed in exploration of their environment. Keep all potential toxins and medications out of harm's way, make sure all garbage is kept out of reach, and watch that there are no dangling cords that could cause an injury. Never leave needles, thread, yarn or ribbon lying around since inquisitive pets often chew on and swallow these items.
5. Monitor your pet on a daily basis. It is important that pets continue to eat and eliminate on a regular basis and that they behave in a normal way. Animals are adapted to masking early signs of illness, and unless you are observant you may not notice anything is wrong with your pet until the condition becomes quite advanced. By monitoring your pet's habits on a daily basis, including how much food is being eaten, you will be more likely to notice subtle clues that something is not quite right.
For advice on how to implement these recommendations for your pet, contact our office.
Caution: These news items, written by Lifelearn Inc., are licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying, printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written permission of Lifelearn Inc. Please note that the news information presented here is NOT a substitute for a proper consultation and/or clinical examination of your pet by our clinic veterinarian.
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