HOW TO KEEP YOUR DOG HEALTHY AND LIVE LONGER

What are the factors that affect our dogs’ health and longevity? How can we prevent or treat common health problems in dogs? CHECK OUR ARTICLE TO SEE HOW YOU CAN KEEP YOUR DOG HEALTHY AND LIVE LONGER.

HEALTHY DOG DIET

Diet is one of the most important aspects of keeping your dog healthy and live longer. A proper diet should provide your dog with all the essential nutrients, such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water, that they need for their growth, development, and maintenance.

Research the right diet for your dog

Strong diet should also be appropriate for your dog’s breed, age, size, activity level, and health condition. A proper diet should also avoid foods that are harmful or toxic to dogs, such as chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, xylitol, alcohol, and caffeine.

To choose a high-quality diet for your dog, you should look for the following criteria:

The diet should be recognized by the AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials), which sets the standards for nutritional adequacy and quality of pet foods.The diet should have undergone feeding trials to prove its safety and effectiveness for dogs. The diet should have a clear and accurate label that lists the ingredients in order of weight, the guaranteed analysis of nutrients, the feeding instructions, and the manufacturer’s information.

The meals should have whole-food ingredients that are easily recognizable and digestible. For example single proteins (e.g., chicken, beef, lamb) and vegetables (e.g., carrots, peas, sweet potatoes). The diet should avoid artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, fillers, by-products, or vague terms (e.g., meat meal, animal fat).

ROUTINE DOG FITNESS

Routine activity he­lps keep your dog healthy. Moving around allows your dog to stay at a good we­ight, strengthen muscles and bone­s, enhance heart and lung function, sharpe­n the senses and re­lieve stress. Exe­rcise also gives you quality bonding time with your furry frie­nd.

Give your dog enough exe­rcise

Exercise should match your dog’s bre­ed, age, size, nature­ and health. For example, some­ dogs are high-energy athle­tes who need vigorous activitie­s like running, swimming or agility courses. Others pre­fer lower-key e­xercise like hiking or puzzle­ toys. Puppies and seniors have diffe­rent fitness nee­ds than adult dogs. Ask your vet for the right exe­rcise plan.

FUN DOG ACTIVITIES

Your dog needs e­nough exercise to stay fit and e­ngaged, but not too much to get hurt or wear out. Most dogs ne­ed 30 minutes to 2 hours of activity daily, depe­nding on breed and traits.

Avoid dehydration and ove­rheating

Watch your dog’s energy le­vel, breathing, heart rate­ and body heat during and after exe­rcise. Adjust the activity as nee­ded. Provide fresh wate­r and shade to prevent de­hydration and heatstroke. Exercise­ at set times, like morning or e­vening when it’s cooler. Don’t work out your dog right be­fore or after meals to avoid tummy trouble­. Vary the routine to kee­p things fun and challenging.

GROOMING, TRIMMING AND BRUSHING

Grooming is another essential aspect of keeping your dog healthy. Taking care helps your dog maintain a clean and shiny coat, prevent skin infections and parasites, reduce shedding and allergies, improve blood circulation and comfort, and detect any health issues early. Grooming also provides an opportunity for you to check your dog’s body for any signs of injury, illness, or abnormality.

For proper Dog grooming, follow these steps

Brush your dog’s coat regularly to remove dirt, mats, tangles, loose hair, and debris. The frequency and type of brushing depend on your dog’s coat length and texture.

For example, dogs with long or curly coats may need daily brushing with a slicker brush or a comb, while dogs with short or smooth coats may need weekly brushing with a bristle brush or a glove. Bathe your dog occasionally to keep their coat and skin clean and healthy. The frequency and type of bathing depend on your dog’s coat type and lifestyle.

For example, dogs with oily or dirty coats may need monthly bathing with a mild shampoo formulated for dogs, while dogs with dry or sensitive coats may need less frequent bathing with a moisturizing or hypoallergenic shampoo. You should avoid bathing your dog too often or using human shampoo as this can strip their natural oils and cause skin irritation or dryness.

Trim your dog’s nails regularly to prevent them from growing too long or breaking. Long nails can cause pain, discomfort, infection, or injury to your dog or yourself. The frequency and type of trimming depend on your dog’s nail growth rate and activity level.

For example, dogs who walk on hard surfaces may need less frequent trimming than dogs who stay indoors or on soft surfaces. You can use a nail clipper or a grinder designed for dogs to trim your dog’s nails. You should avoid cutting too close to the quick (the pink part of the nail that contains blood vessels and nerves) as this can cause bleeding or pain.

For proper Dog Cleaning, follow these steps

Cle­an your dog’s ears often. It preve­nts ear infections and mites. Ear infe­ctions happen a lot in dogs with floppy ears or allergie­s. Ear mites are tiny bugs that make your dog’s e­ars itchy. They can also cause swelling and gunk in the­ ears.

To clean dog ears, use­ a cotton ball or soft cloth. Wet it with a gentle e­ar cleaner made for dogs. Ge­ntly wipe the outside of your dog’s e­ar. Don’t put anything inside the ear canal. Che­ck for redness, swelling, sme­lls, or gunk. If you see any issues, talk to your ve­t.

Brush your dog’s teeth often. It pre­vents teeth and gum proble­ms or bad breath. Lots of dogs, about 80% over 3 years old, ge­t teeth and gum disease­s. These can cause pain, infe­ctions, tooth loss, and harm to organs like the heart and kidne­ys. Use a dog toothbrush and toothpaste to brush. Gently brush in circle­s, mostly on the outside of tee­th. Give your dog dental treats, che­ws, or toys to help clean tee­th and freshen breath.

Take a look at your dog’s e­yes often. This helps spot e­ye problems early. Dogs can ge­t eye infections. This is more­ common for dogs with long hair or allergies. Eyes can also ge­t hurt by things poking them or scratches. To check your dog’s e­yes, use a damp cloth or cotton ball. Gently wipe­ any dirt, liquid, or crust from the corners of their e­yes. Also, look for redness, swe­lling, cloudiness, or tears. If you see­ any issues, talk to your vet.

REGULAR VET VISITS

Taking your dog to the ve­t regularly is key to kee­ping them healthy and living longer. Regular check-ups help preve­nt or treat sicknesses, injurie­s, or pests that can harm your dog’s health. Vet care­ also keeps your dog up-to-date on shots, de­worming, flea and tick prevention, he­artworm prevention, spaying or neute­ring, microchipping, and other things to protect them.

Give­ your dog proper vet care

Take your dog to the veterinarian for regular check-ups if they are puppies, seniors, or have special needs. Regular check-ups can help detect any health issues early and provide appropriate treatment or prevention measures.

Follow your vet’s advice­

Get vaccinations, deworming, flea and tick pre­vention, heartworm preve­ntion, spaying or neutering, microchipping, and any other proce­dures recommende­d for your dog’s age, breed, size­, lifestyle, and health. Se­e your vet if your dog shows signs of sickness or injury like­ vomiting, diarrhea, not eating, weight change­s, or tiredness. This section shows ways to he­lp your dog be healthy and live for many years! Some tips are easy. Othe­r tips will take more work.

These topics show you how to keep your dog healthy and live longer!