There are many health issues that you need to guard your canine family member against. Some ailments can be avoided or remedied by the regular use of dog worming tablets, while others are not so simple and will require a trip to the vet.
Vaccinate your puppy
There are three main viruses you need to guard your pup against, and those are canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus and canine adenovirus. The C3 vaccination is known as the core’ vaccination that will protect your pup against these sinister and hardy viruses. A vaccination schedule for an adult dog should consist of an annual canine cough vaccination, C3 vaccination every 3 years, and annual C5 booster vaccination. If you are purchasing a new puppy make sure they have had their vaccinations. You want to give your pup the best chance at a healthy life so ensuring they are up to date with their vaccinations is a must.
Is it fleas? Is it ticks or something else?
If your pup is constantly scratching, your furry friend might have fleas. Options available for preventing and treating fleas include tablets, topical treatments or flea collars.
If your pet continues to itch and scratch after you have administered flea treatments your pet may be allergic to grass or to something in their diet. If this is the case you may need to make a trip to the vet to investigate further.
Ticks are a bit nastier. Symptoms can include vomiting, excessive drooling and paralysis. Combined treatments are available that prevent both fleas and ticks, but this may not be necessary as ticks are only present in certain parts of Australia. If you live on the east coast of Australia tick treatment is going to be a must for your pooch.
Intestinal Worms Vs Heartworm
Heartworm is a very serious condition for any pet, it is spread via mosquito bites. Symptoms of heartworm range from a mild cough to extreme tiredness. You won’t want your pet to end up with caval syndrome (which is life-threatening and requires surgery!). There are several prevention treatments available for heartworm – annual heartworm injection, a monthly oral treatment or topical treatments.
Intestinal worms come in many shapes and sizes. Worming treatments need to be administered on a regular basis. The frequency with which you need to worm your pet is going to vary based on the age of your pet and the type of worming product you purchase. Be sure to follow the instructions on the worming treatment you choose.
Obesity
The most preventable disease in dogs is obesity. Excess body fat can shorten your furry friend’s life span and cause other health problems such as an increased risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and degeneration of joints. If you start to notice that your pup has a little extra cushion it might be time for a trip to the vet. A vet will be able to provide you with an estimate of your pup’s body fat percentage. If your dog is over their ideal body weight by 10 – 20% it’s time to modify your dogs diet. A quality food product with sufficient nutrients will ensure that your dog isn’t malnourished on less food, make sure you adhere to portion sizing as directed by your vet.
Breed-specific ailments
Another thing to consider when assessing your dog for ailments is that various breeds of dogs can have common ailments that tend to only affect their specific breed. For example, Daschunds often experience back problems due to their elongated bodies. Alternatively, breeds with short noses such as French Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekingese, and Boston Terriers can suffer from breathing problems, when this occurs it is known as brachycephalic syndrome.
Now you have a broad idea of the common ailments that can affect dogs you get to doggy doctoring and ensure that your pup gets quality care. Get started creating a health routine for your pup, create a schedule for those vaccinations, worming tablets and flea treatments.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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