Author: shane

It is your responsibility as a pet owner to take good care of your dog. That includes feeding and grooming it. However, your dog can still develop some health problems irrespective of how well you take care of it. Experts recommend taking your dog to the vet routinely for wellness exams. Doing so will help with early diagnosis, making treatment or control of the health problems easier. Some common dog health problems are highlighted below.

Skin Issues

Dogs can experience various skin issues, usually caused by allergies, infections, parasites, and more. Some of the common symptoms of skin issues include itching and scratching. The skin can also appear scaly, flaky, inflamed, red, or abnormal in any other way. In some cases, the dog may also lose patches of hair.

Ear Infections

Ear infections are also common in dogs. Some signs of ear infection include the dog scratching its ears and shaking its head. You can also notice a discharge from the ear and often a bad smell. Ear infections can be pretty painful for the dog. Ear infections can result in much worse health issues if left untreated. That makes it essential to take your dog to the vet as soon as you notice any sign of ear infection.

Vomiting

Your dog can develop vomiting due to various reasons. Dog vomiting is normal, but that does not mean it is something to ignore, especially if the case is ongoing. Vomiting can be symptoms of gastrointestinal blockage or toxicity. Other symptoms that might accompany vomiting include diarrhoea, weakness, and lack of appetite.

Dental Disease

Periodontal is a disease of the gums and teeth. It is among the most commonly overlooked health issues for dogs, usually caused by improper dental care. The main symptoms of periodontal disease are bleeding gums and bad breath. If left untreated, periodontal may result in teeth and gum damage. Poor dental care may also result in a buildup of plaque and tartar. Plaque and tartar can harbour harmful bacteria. The bacteria can get into the dog’s bloodstream through the damaged gums and cause further health issues.

Obesity

Obesity is among the most preventable dog health issue, yet among the most common as well. It is usually blamed on poor feeding habits. However, dog obesity can result in further health issues such as heart disease and diabetes and limit your dog’s activity levels. Proper exercise and diet can help reverse obesity.

Arthritis

Arthritis is also a prevalent health issue in dogs, especially the older ones. This condition results in the inflammation of joints. Typically, arthritis can be managed using various methods, depending on its severity. Your vet can give you the best options after examining the dog.

Owning a dog comes with lots of excitement. However, it also comes with a lot of responsibilities, including ensuring the wellbeing of the dog. Below are some of the main things that you should do to raise a healthy dog.

Ensure It Gets Proper Nutrition

Feeding your pet is the most apparent responsibility that you have as a dog owner. For that, you should ensure you provide the dog with the right type and amount of food. That will prevent your dog from getting malnutrition or obesity-related health conditions. In addition, different breeds of dogs have different nutritional needs. Ensure you talk to your vet to find out the right diet plan for your dog. You can also consider using supplements if need be.

Take Your Dog for Regular Checkups

Taking your dog for routine checkups is essential, irrespective of how healthy it may look. Doing so allows the vet to detect any health issue in its early stage, which helps to make treatment easier. Regular checkups should also include the removal of tartar and plaque buildup to help with dental health.

Groom Your Dog Regularly

Grooming your dog is essential to prevent parasites infestation, skin conditions, infections, and other health issues. It also makes your dog feel more comfortable. Grooming involves bathing the dog regularly, trimming its nails, and brushing its fur, among other things. Your vet can give you the most suitable grooming protocol for your dog as per its breed.

Ensure It Gets Enough Exercise

Exercising your dog is an excellent way to ensure it stays physically fit, which also helps prevent overweight health issues. It also gives the dog the proper mental stimulation. Some of the ways to exercise your dog include taking it for walks, swimming, and playing fetch. You can also give the dog a toy to play with, practise new tricks with it, build an obstacle course for it, or any other thing that will keep it active.

Keep Your Dog Safe and Comfortable

Keeping your dog safe and comfortable is also your responsibility. For that, ensure your dog has a good place to sleep. Also, ensure that you keep it from any dangerous areas or items. For example, ensure that all the toxic substances in your home are out of the dog’s reach. Finally, for enhanced safety, you should get your dog a collar with an identity tag and microchips to make it easy to find when it gets lost.

Most dog owners love to reward their pets with treats as a way of reinforcing good behaviour. Dog treats can also be used when training the dog. However, it is essential to ensure the treats you get for your dog are healthy. That means staying away from overly processed treats or those with chemical preservatives. A few examples of healthy dog treats are highlighted below.

Apples

Apples are known to be packed with lots of essential nutrients and fibre. They are great for dogs, just as they are great for humans. Remember to give the dog apples only as treats, meaning not too much of it. You should also remove the core or the seeds before feeding apples to your dog.

Dog Biscuits

Almost all dogs enjoy eating dog biscuits. Dog biscuits are also easier to pack and handle, allowing you to carry your dog’s treats easily, even when taking the dog for a walk. If you are unsure of the ingredients used in the store-bought dog biscuits, you can bake them at home using your favourite recipe to ensure they are healthy for the dog. Remember to limit the biscuits you feed the dog as they are full of carbohydrates, which can cause obesity.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is also another good choice for dog treats. Most dogs seem to go crazy about peanut butter. All you need per treat is a small scoop. When buying peanut butter for your dog, ensure you choose a brand that does not contain Xylitol.

Baked Chicken or Turkey

Baked poultry can also be quite good for your dog. For that, ensure you remove the skin. That is because the skin is usually too fatty and not suitable for dogs.

Regularly grooming your dog is essential to ensure it stays healthy and happy. Different dog breeds may require different grooming techniques. It is thus necessary to learn the proper grooming routine for your particular dog. Some fundamental grooming tips that apply to all dogs are highlighted below.

Get the Right Dog-Grooming Equipment and Supplies

Having the right supplies and equipment is essential to get your pet groomed well. That does not necessarily mean buying the most expensive ones. The equipment and supplies to buy are a comb, brush, shampoo, conditioner, dog toothbrush, dog toothpaste, dog toenail clipper, and others.

Brush the Dog Regularly

Regularly brushing your dog is essential to keep its coat looking shiny and glossy. The frequency of brushing the dog should depend on the texture and length of the dog’s coat. Brushing will also help to prevent matting, especially for dogs with long coats.

Trim Your Dog’s Nails

Whenever you hear the dog’s nails clicking on hard floors as it walks, you should trim them using a dog nail clipper. That helps to prevent discomfort caused by long nails. It might also help you minimise damage to your rugs and furniture if your dog loves scratching things.

Dog grooming comes with numerous benefits, other than just making your dog look good and feel comfortable. Grooming your dog should be done correctly and as often as recommended to maximise the benefits. Some of the top reasons to groom your dog are highlighted below.

To Keep the Dog’s Coat Healthy

Brushing your dog’s coat will help remove loose fur and debris from it. That can help to reduce the frequency of bathing the dog. Brushing also increases blood circulation under the coat, which promotes healthy fur growth. Using the right products to clean the dog removes excess oil and dirt from the dog’s skin.

To Check for Health Issues

While grooming your dog, you can check for any signs of health problems. You can notice any bumps, lumps, scrapes, cuts, or swelling in places that might not be easy to spot. You can also check if the dog has ticks or fleas.

To Get Rid of Bad Smell

If you do not groom your dog for a long time, the dog is more than likely to develop a terrible odour. That will make it uncomfortable to be around the dog or even pet it. Grooming helps keep the foul smell away.