8 THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR DOG OR CAT SO THEY WILL ENJOY GOOD
Health And Live Longer
Anyone who has ever had a dog or a cat knows such pets need adequate “health care” if they are to stay healthy. There are several things you can do to help your pet remain in good health and live a longer life.
1) Have your dog or cat tested by a competent D.V.M. for worms, including hookworm and tapeworm.
2) Make sure your dog or cat gets all the required vaccinations. These include shots for rabies and distemper. Consult your vet about what vaccinations your dog and/or cat should have, and how often.
3) Proper diet is an important part of a dog or cat’s health maintenance. Your vet can recommend what sort of diet is best for your pet.
4) There are several ways to relieve your pet’s misery from an infestation of fleas. Many veterinarians recommend “traditional” insecticide dips as the most effective way to rid your dog or cat of fleas. Ask your vet for advice about the appropriate dip for your pet.
Some sprays and powders can also be helpful if the flea infestation isn’t too heavy. It is also important that you treat the animal’s bedding with an appropriate dip, spray or powder.
5) Ticks, while extremely nasty, are easier to control than an infestation of fleas. If your pet spends a great deal of time outdoors, especially in fields or wooded areas, you should give it frequent “tick inspections”. One good way to do this, and to remove any ticks that haven’t attached themselves yet, is to brush your pet with a fine-toothed flea comb. You should pay particular attention to the animal’s neck and under its ears.
Many flea dips will also kill ticks, so you may be able to rid your dog or cat of ticks and fleas at the same time.
6) Ridding your dog or cat of pesky ear mites usually requires prescription medication that is placed into the animal’s ears. While your pet may not enjoy the treatment, it will certainly be better off without the parasitic mites.
7) Bothersome skin conditions, such as “hot spots” on dogs, are usually caused by a “flea allergy”. The reaction results from the flea’s saliva and causes your dog to irritate its skin trying to relieve excessive itching. The best way to eliminate skin conditions resulting from flea allergy is to eliminate the fleas. This can be done in several ways, as noted earlier. You can also help to ease the animal’s discomfort by treating the affected area. Trim the hair away from the “hot spot”, then clean the area with warm water and apply a powder to dry it out. Many vets recommend Domeboro which is available over- the-counter.
Keep your pets well-groomed. A well-groomed dog or cat is less likely to have health menacing parasites such as fleas, ticks and mites.
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