Health

Keeping your dog healthy

One of the key aspects of dog ownership is keeping your new puppy healthy. One of the key people in looking after your dog will be your veterinarian and you should find a local and helpful vet before, or as soon as possible after, you buy your dog. Vets are a great resource when seeking answers to any health related questions you may have during the life of your dog.

A good reputable breeder will provide you with detailed instructions on the proper care of your new best friend. Unfortunately, many people offering puppies for sale are not interested in the ongoing health of the dogs they breed and do not offer any health information. Don’t fear, the articles at the bottom of this page will help guide you through the basics and more of looking after the health of your dog.

Dogs are remarkably good at looking after themselves to a point and most of the designer breeds are genetically far healthier than their purebred cousins or even their own parents. Take the Puggle for example: they rarely suffer from the miriad of issues that afflict the purebred Pug. Even so, all dogs need basic care to keep them in the best condition possible.

Looking after your dog’s health comes down to common sense.

Taking care of your dog’s health falls into 2 basic categories: preventative care and treating illness. Of these, the preventative care is far cheaper, easier and makes the greatest difference to the life of your dog. Even before buying a puppy, some basic health screening of the parents must be done to reduce the chances of illness in the puppy you are buying. These include health checking of the parents by a veterinarian before they are allowed to breed and the use of DNA Disease Screening to test for heritable conditions such as PRA.

These simple precautions may save you many thousands of dollars in vet bills trying to rectify an issue down the track as well as the heartbreak and pain of your dog living with a debilitating illness during it’s lifetime. Routine care, such as feeding a proper and nutritious diet, deworming and annual vaccinations will go a long way to keep your pet healthy.

Animals like people are living things, and as such, can become injured or ill and will need treatment. The important thing to note here is that by treating any symptoms early before they are allowed to get worse is generally the best course of action. Some illnesses can be treated by you, such as small cuts or bites while serious injuries such as broken bones will need immediate vet care. Always refer anything you are not sure of to your vet for advice.