Our pets are our most beloved friends and companions. Humans may leave us but pets don’t. Therefore we try everything to make our pets’ life easy and happy. Today treatments like chemotherapy, knee replacements and kidney transplants are available for animals too which was not the case a generation ago.
However, just like for humans, treatments and medications for pets don’t come cheap. According to an important survey, because of the increased cost of pet care, many pet parents delay even routine pet exams or turn to home remedies.
Expert vets at vet clinics in Wesler Chapel say that this can be backfire as real cost savings come with preventive care, timely detection of health problems and a great relation with your vet.
It’s true that you may not completely control the development of a tumor or other such serious illness in your pet, but there are certain tips following which you can rest assured about the long-term health of your furry friends as well as your bank balance.
Several people don’t understand how much a happy, stress-free, loving home is essential for good pet health. Insecurity can cause stress, whereas lack of enough exercise and boredom can give rise to destructive or obsessive behavior. If your cat is licking her fur abnormally, it means that she may develop skin issues, while if your dog is chewing your furniture may develop intestinal blockages.
However, it should also be remembered that exercise isn’t to be provided without taking care of safety and a surefire way to send your pet to the emergency room is to allow them to roam freely outdoors. Even if you have a fenced-in yard, check it regularly. Any damage might allow your pet to escape.
You can keep cats happy and active indoors with interactive game, toys, scratchers and climbing posts, and even let them enjoy outdoors safely within catios (fenced enclosures for cats) or on harnessed leash walks.
Just as in humans, in animals too, excess weight can give rise to a plethora of health issues. Compare your pet’s physique to a body score chart which you can get online. If your pet has gained excessive weight than ideal, you should talk to your vet and try to shed those extra pounds.
Professional vets at Weddington Animal Hospital say that nutritional requirements can vary between animals. Therefore you should discuss with your vet about your pet’s needs for proteins, fats and calories. Also remember that nutritional contents also vary from brand to brand. Thus, a cup of kibble from a certain brand may have considerably higher calories than that from another brand.
You should also be careful about table scraps. Excessive fat consumption can give rise to diabetes or heart disease or even an emergency vet visit. Even a small quantity of fat in our diet is too much for a pet’s diet, particularly for the toy dog breeds. Thus, foods like bologna, hot dogs etc. in the owner’s meal can form high risk of pancreatitis.
Pay attention to your pet’s water intake. Insufficient water intake can make heart and kidneys work harder because it slows down the blood flow through spleen and liver. Measuring daily water intake can be hard, especially if you have multiple pets. However, by visiting your vet, you can learn how to evaluate your pet’s hydration status.
A well-hydrated pet will show healthy pink color on their gums and light to medium yellow urine. If the skin between your pet’s shoulders is pinched and then released, it should immediately restore back to normal position.
Pay attention to all these factors so that you can enjoy your pet’s company and can become a proud pet parent and remain so for years to come.