Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
The idea of getting a pet often garners feelings of joy and anticipation, but many people neglect the responsibility of keeping their pets healthy. For you to reasonably offer your animals a chance at a healthy lifestyle, you must be dedicated to taking them to the veterinarian on a regular basis; weighing the responsibility of medical bills and preventative care costs versus neglecting your pet are essential when choosing an animal to love.
Healthy aging starts from the moment that you adopt your dog, cat, ferret, rabbit, turtle, or bird just to name a few. There are vaccinations required to help your pet ward off any worms, viruses, and bacteria. Your dog and cat should be neutered or spayed, and this requires surgery, along with your ability and willingness to provide nurturing aftercare.
Keeping your pets free from ticks and fleas, along with heartworms is critical to their ability to survive. There are forms available orally and also topically for certain parasites. Your veterinarian will explain which is best for your particular pet’s needs.
Grooming is something that people often neglect. Your pet needs to be kept clean, their feet need to be checked for scrapes or cuts, their nails should be trimmed, ears cleaned and most of them need to be brushed regularly. All of these things may seem superficial, but keeping you animals exterior in tip-top-shape will help them thrive.
Keeping an eye on your pet while they play with toys is also something to consider for your pet’s general well-being. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for pieces of toys to become lodged in the intestines and cause a blockage. Surgery is often necessary to remove the object.
Nutrition plays a vital role in your pet’s overall health. Depending on the type of animal you are feeding, giving them food high in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals with a proper fat to protein or carb ratio is essential. Some pets develop gastrointestinal issues from certain diets. In these cases, your veterinarian may ask you to put them on a prescription diet or prepare their food homemade for them.
Just like humans, as pet’s age, issues like arthritis, cancer, heart, liver or kidney disorders can arise very quickly. If there are any unusual symptoms like shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or other uncommon indications, making certain to take your animals in for an appointment is critical.
What to do if you can no longer care for your pet
There are many different levels of issues with healthy aging in pets, if you find that you are unable to provide the efficient and needed care adequately, you should speak to your veterinarian about options to give your pet up for adoption or other alternatives for them to be taken care of properly.
Best Friends Animal Hospital
Best Friends Animal Hospital believes in providing quality health care for your pet in a warm and welcoming environment. Their doctors routinely attend educational seminars in order to stay abreast of the latest medical treatments and technologies. Their hospital also prides itself on having state-of-the-art equipment including a digital X-ray machine and surgical laser, both of which are used in human medicine. The digital X-ray machine allows them to take high-quality radiographs in seconds and gives their doctors images with better diagnostic quality, while the surgical laser helps to decrease pain and bleeding as well as increase healing speed of the incision.
Best Friends Animal Hospital offers free 24-hour access to your pet’s medical record through a pet portal, as well as home delivery of your pet’s prescriptions through an online store. Their online Pharmacy carries prescription medications, heartworm, flea and tick preventative, pet food, treats, and toys.
The doctors and staff are devoted to helping your pets’ live longer, healthier and happier lives because they understand what an important member of your family your pet. Their knowledgeable staff is available to answer any questions you may have, and they look forward to seeing you and your pet(s) soon. Please visit their website to find out more, or call them to book your appointment.
Best Friends Animal Hospital
239-768-7387
www.bestfriendsanimalhosp.com
