It goes without saying that you’ll have a lot of responsibility on your hands once you become a dog owner. Caring for a dog means you’ll have to pay attention to the foods that your pet eats and the quality of physical activities they get as these can affect their health and lifespan. Aside from providing a healthy diet and active lifestyle to your dog, you also have to ensure that they visit their vet regularly.
Maintaining your dog’s health throughout their lives can be a challenge for most pet owners, but knowing the right strategies to use can make this task easier. In fact, with the right strategies, looking after your dog’s health can also become a platform for you and your furry friend to create a more meaningful bond.
To help you out, consider using the tips below for you to maintain your dog’s health throughout their lives:
1. Incorporate CBD into your dog’s diet
CBD or cannabidiol is known to enhance a dog’s health. The natural compounds found in CBD, like those from Holistapet dog treats, can naturally bind with the receptors found in the dog’s immune system and brain and improve their bodily functions.
Giving your dog CBD-infused products is a great way to maintain their health. Depending on your preferences, you can choose to mix CBD oil in your dog’s meals and drinks, or occasionally reward them with treats for anxiety and joint support. You can also topically apply CBD creams to relieve your dog’s muscle pains and inflammation.
2. Maintain a healthy weight
Just like human beings, being under or overweight can increase your dog’s susceptibility to life-threatening illnesses and diseases. An overweight dog is prone to develop diabetes, heart diseases, increased blood pressure, and decreased liver function.,
If you don’t want your dog to suffer from any of these health conditions, make sure that they maintain a healthy weight. You can do this by regularly tracking your dog’s weight, include healthy activities to their lifestyle, and visit your vet as often as possible. Your dog can’t do all of these on their own, which means that their ability to maintain ideal weight for life is on your hands.
3. Regularly exercise your pet
Making sure that your dog gets regular exercise is one of your responsibilities as a pet owner. Aside from helping them maintain a healthy weight, regular exercise can also encourage mental stimulation among dogs and help them become mentally active. Regular exercise can also prolong their lives and reduce the risks of obesity.
As a pet owner, you should change your daily routine in order to spend more time with your dog to exercise. If you have a full-time job, you can take your dog for a walk at night or if you only work at home, you can wake up extra early and jog with your dog around the neighborhood.
If your schedule is too hectic, consider asking a friend or family to take your dog for a walk. You can also invest in different toys such as a Frisbee, rope, and rubber ball to keep your dog busy while you’re away.
4. Give your dog a healthy and well-balanced diet
The food you give to your dog can significantly affect their health. Feeding your dog with high-quality and age-appropriate dog food can guarantee that your dog receives the nutrition that their bodies need. The right dog food will also improve their immune system, making it easy for them to ward off illness-carrying germs and bacteria.
But aside from giving your dog the right dog food, you should also provide variety by adding fresh fruits and vegetables in their diets. Apples, for example, are great sources of vitamins A and C and help your dog’s digestive system to work efficiently.
5. Vaccinate your pet
Regardless of how healthy your dog’s diet is, they are still not safe from deadly diseases such as parvo, distemper, and rabies. These diseases don’t come with any visible symptoms and can worsen quickly.
To maintain your dog’s health for the longest time possible, visit your vet and have them vaccinated. Vaccinations are highly important, especially for puppies. The sooner you have them vaccinated, the healthier they can be when they grow up.
Visit a vet first
Regardless if you’re a new or experienced dog owner, it’s always best if you regularly check in with your dog’s vet. You should seek their approval before you let your dog use or eat any product.
There are different products available today that promise optimal dog health, but giving these to your dog without a vet’s approval can lead to risks. Keep in mind that your dog has unique health requirements, and giving any generic product can only cause more harm than good.