Your pet’s health is central to their wellbeing. Just like humans, pets need exercise, play, and plenty of nutrients to thrive. How much effort do you put into keeping your pets healthy? Do you have a regular routine?
If you’re not meticulous about your pet’s health, here are several reasons to step up your game.
1. Food is the foundation of wellness
Food is more important than anything. Your pet needs the right kind of nutrition for their age, special conditions, and activity level. If you don’t feed your pet the proper amount of nutrition, their health will deteriorate. A lack of vitamins and minerals will eventually make your pets lethargic because their cells won’t be getting enough nutrition to thrive.
Here are some tips for sourcing high-quality food for your pets.
· Research food brands before buying. Not all pet foods contain high-quality ingredients. Some brands cut corners, and without sending food to the lab, you’d never know. Thankfully, some brands go out of their way to provide excellent nutrition to animals at all stages of life and with special nutritional needs.
For example, dogs and their humans love Royal Canin food because they make a wide variety of options to suit just about every need. For instance, the company makes food tailored to specific breeds like golden retrievers, German shepherds, and Labrador retrievers. Breed-specific food is helpful since certain breeds require a unique balance of vitamins and minerals to manage skin issues.
Royal Canin also intentionally designs their kibble in terms of shape, texture, size, and density to support dental health. The entire company was founded on a pet-first philosophy.
· Stay on top of pet food recalls. To keep your pet healthy, stay on top of all pet food recalls by signing up for the newsletter from DogFoodAdvisor.com.
Some recalls are more alarming than others. For instance, you’d think pet food manufacturers would only include pet-friendly food in their products, but sometimes that’s not the case. One of the most alarming situations came about when pentobarbital was found in 27 brands of dog food.
Pentobarbital is a barbiturate used to sedate and euthanize animals. The presence of this in dog food indicates the meat came from euthanized animals, which is illegal.
· Consult your pet’s veterinarian. Always consult your pet’s veterinarian before changing their diet. If you tell them why you want to change their food, they’ll help you identify the core issue and find a solution.
2. Pets can feel miserable just like humans
When people are in poor health, they often feel miserable. Pets can feel this way, too. Whether your pet is suffering from a nutritional deficiency or allergies, being in poor health is a miserable experience.
If you want your pet to feel good, it’s important to prioritize their health. Make sure they get enough nutrients to maintain strong bones and healthy joints, so they don’t experience the pain of poor health.
If your pet has allergies, find out exactly what they’re allergic to and determine a course of treatment. Treatment might be incident-specific, or your pet might need a daily allergy supplement.
3. Your pet’s mouth is a germ factory
You’ve probably heard that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s mouth. That might be true sometimes, but every mouth breeds bacteria and needs to be cleaned. That means brushing your dog or cat’s teeth on a regular basis.
Mouth health is central to overall health. When bacteria enter the bloodstream through the mouth, they can quickly spread to the rest of the body and cause a host of problems.
For instance, there are many digestive system bacterial infections that can cause serious harm to your dog’s health. Many of the symptoms are uncomfortable, and infections can worsen over time when left untreated.
Keep your pet’s mouth clean to avoid certain bacterial infections. If you’ve never brushed your pet’s teeth before, be prepared for a challenge. Although, some pets don’t seem to mind and a few even enjoy the experience – even cats!
To start brushing your pet’s teeth, get a small electric toothbrush just for your pet and use special pet toothpaste flavored like liver or chicken, depending on their preferences. Or, you can use coconut oil since it has anti-bacterial properties and tastes great.
If your pet is afraid of an electric toothbrush, you can get a manual toothbrush at the pet store for small pets or just use a human-sized toothbrush for a large dog.
Your pets are family
Pets are family members, so take their health seriously. Not all health issues are preventable, but it doesn’t take much effort to keep your pets in good health.