Your Healthy Pet: 7 Key Ways to Keep Your Pet Happy and Healthy

Around 85 million families in the United States own at least one pet. Considering that’s 67% of all US households, it’s evident that our pets are very important to us.

If they’re not happy, then we’re not. A key part of making your pet happy is ensuring they’re healthy.

But that’s just part of it. Make sure your healthy pet stays healthy. Here are 7 key ways you can do so.

1. Take Them in for Regular Checkups

Your pets aren’t able to speak to you about what ails them, so it’s very important to bring them in for regular checkups. Fifi may seem completely fine, but perhaps she’s actually in pain from something you’ve missed.

You should aim to bring your pets into the vet bi-annually. Not only will they examine your furry friend thoroughly, but they may order things like a blood panel, fecal test, x-rays, or an EKG.

This type of preventative care can catch more serious issues early on when they’re less painful (and costly) to treat.

2. Maintain Their Oral Hygiene

A lot of humans go to yearly checkups but fail to keep up with their oral hygiene. What they don’t know is their oral health is usually indicative of their body’s overall health.

For example, bad breath may seem quite innocent, but it isn’t. If you have an excess of bad bacteria, you usually have an infection, and this can cause infections to occur in other parts of your body.

The same goes for your pets. If you don’t keep up with regular oral hygiene (such as brushing, chewing Greenies, and annual oral exams), their overall health can deteriorate.

Read more now on symptoms, complications, and prevention methods.

3. Give Them Healthy Food

You probably know the struggles of resisting junk food. If your pets were left to their own devices, they’d probably pig out on that alone!

While it’s obvious you shouldn’t feed them fatty and sugary foods very often, there are other things that are harder to figure out for their diets. For instance, did you know you should adjust their diets as they grow from a pup to an adult, then adult to senior?

You also need to ensure they’re getting the right portions. Ask your vet what this should be, and they can also guide you to exactly what to feed your pets so they get the proper nutrition and nutrients.

4. Give Them Plenty of Exercise

Are you a couch potato? Then chances are, your pet might be too.

As a result, the two of you may not be at ideal weights. Not only can this lead to loss of muscle tone, but this can also increase the likelihood of certain conditions and diseases.

Make sure you take your dogs out for daily walks. This will get you off the couch too! That way, the two of you can get healthy and fitter together.

If you just can’t dedicate enough time to walking your dogs, you should consider using a dog-walking service so they get the proper physical and mental stimulation in their lives.

5. Train Them Early On

It’s never too late to train your dogs, but the earlier you start them, the better. Once you establish which behaviors are ok and which aren’t, it’ll be less stressful for both you and your pets.

Whether you’re at home or outside at the beach, if your pooches are well-trained, you can trust them to return to you in a flash if need be. In some circumstances, this can be lifesaving (such as if you see a dangerous dog across the street or a car driving erratically).

6. Get Lots of Socialization

Dogs are social creatures, just as we are. If they don’t learn to socialize with other animals, this may cause some stressful situations when you walk out the door.

Try to look for dog parent get-togethers in your local area. Start when your dog is a puppy so they can get used to being around other dogs (and even cats).

If some of these doggie parents bring their human children, even better. You can teach your dog how to treat these tiny humans with patience and gentle touches.

The more socialization your dogs (and cats) get, the more accustomed they’ll be to other living beings who might make random movements and sounds. As a result, they’ll be less spooked and more comfortable in any social setting.

7. Give Them Safe Toys

You may think that just because a toy’s on the market that it’s safe for your pet to play with. But the reality is, lots have hazards that manufacturers haven’t thought about.

Do some online research to find out which toys to avoid (due to things like choking hazards) and which are fan favorites. And once your pet’s had the toy for a while, you’ll want to consider throwing it away before it becomes a choking hazard or a sharp object that may injure them.

You know your pet’s personality best, so keep that in mind when you’re shopping. For example, if they like to tug on things a lot, you’ll want to make sure you buy toys that are made to withstand that.

Have a Happy Life With Your Healthy Pet

When your healthy pet has fewer health issues throughout its life, you’ll have an easier and smoother time. By taking a few precautions and being proactive about any potential health problems, you can ensure your pets live the longest and most wholesome lives they can.

So take good care of Fido! They’re like family, after all. Without your beloved pets, your life just wouldn’t be the same.

For more information about pets, please take a look at our other blog articles.