Dogs usually don’t have very exotic problems. Distemper, manage and hip dysplasia are all common enough, but they aren’t even close to the top of the list of common canine problems. It’s the mundane health hassles that will take up most of your attention – things like gum disease, vomiting or diarrhea, worms and fleas, as well as a variety of behavior problems. As with most things, a little prevention will go a long way toward keeping your dog healthy.
Gum Disease:
It’s true that dogs in the wild don’t brush their teeth, but that’s not much of an argument against dental care. Our ancestors didn’t brush their teeth either, and we can only guess how many teeth they had left in their later years. The fact is that more than 85 percent of dogs have inflamed gums by the time they’re four years old, all because of poor teeth care. This can lead to a variety of dental problems, including losing teeth. Consider teeth cleaning as an important part of your pet’s grooming and hygiene routine.
Upset Tummies:
Possibly the first you will know about her eating something that didn’t agree with her is when you find the vomit or diarrhea. You’d think prevention would be easy, but someone might slip her a slice of pizza or a bite of burrito, and she’s bound to nose out an open and unattended garbage container at some stage. No dog can resist temptation when it smells that good, so you’re going to have to get used to dealing with the occasional tummy upset.
Worms and Fleas:
Worms are another common, yet completely preventable, condition in dogs. If every pup were routinely wormed, it would be only a matter of time before worms were eliminated entirely from our pets. Worming is most effective when your dog is young – generally from 2 to 20 weeks. If you wait until your pup is several months old to do anything about these visitors, they’ll have already unpacked their bags and taken up residence for life. Worms remain hidden in a dog’s tissues even after successful treatment, only to put in an appearance when she’s stressed or has a litter of pups, says. And so the cycle continues.
If you have a pup, you should assume that she has worms – studies have shown that some 75 percent actually do, even when routine tests don’t detect them.
As for fleas, they’ve been around for millions of years and there probably isn’t any chance they will become extinct soon. However, there have been some recent developments that will give you more than enough ammunition to stand a fighting chance of winning this battle on the home front.
Keeping out of Trouble:
Believe it or not, behavior problems are the number one reason people take their pets to the vet. The truth is, most behavioral problems are entirely preventable and can be managed with the right sort of home care, and without the need for costly drugs or visits to the vet.
“Train your pet, and start when she’s a puppy,” advises Gary Landsberg, D.V.M., an animal behaviorist in private practice in Thornhill, Ontario, and co-editor of Dog behavior and training. “You want to prevent the problem from happening in the first place, not deal with treating if after the fact.” Good training is one of the most crucial aspects of preventive therapy, and easily as important as any of the vaccines or medications your dog will ever receive.
Gum Disease:
It’s true that dogs in the wild don’t brush their teeth, but that’s not much of an argument against dental care. Our ancestors didn’t brush their teeth either, and we can only guess how many teeth they had left in their later years. The fact is that more than 85 percent of dogs have inflamed gums by the time they’re four years old, all because of poor teeth care. This can lead to a variety of dental problems, including losing teeth. Consider teeth cleaning as an important part of your pet’s grooming and hygiene routine.
Upset Tummies:
Possibly the first you will know about her eating something that didn’t agree with her is when you find the vomit or diarrhea. You’d think prevention would be easy, but someone might slip her a slice of pizza or a bite of burrito, and she’s bound to nose out an open and unattended garbage container at some stage. No dog can resist temptation when it smells that good, so you’re going to have to get used to dealing with the occasional tummy upset.
Worms and Fleas:
Worms are another common, yet completely preventable, condition in dogs. If every pup were routinely wormed, it would be only a matter of time before worms were eliminated entirely from our pets. Worming is most effective when your dog is young – generally from 2 to 20 weeks. If you wait until your pup is several months old to do anything about these visitors, they’ll have already unpacked their bags and taken up residence for life. Worms remain hidden in a dog’s tissues even after successful treatment, only to put in an appearance when she’s stressed or has a litter of pups, says. And so the cycle continues.
If you have a pup, you should assume that she has worms – studies have shown that some 75 percent actually do, even when routine tests don’t detect them.
As for fleas, they’ve been around for millions of years and there probably isn’t any chance they will become extinct soon. However, there have been some recent developments that will give you more than enough ammunition to stand a fighting chance of winning this battle on the home front.
Keeping out of Trouble:
Believe it or not, behavior problems are the number one reason people take their pets to the vet. The truth is, most behavioral problems are entirely preventable and can be managed with the right sort of home care, and without the need for costly drugs or visits to the vet.
“Train your pet, and start when she’s a puppy,” advises Gary Landsberg, D.V.M., an animal behaviorist in private practice in Thornhill, Ontario, and co-editor of Dog behavior and training. “You want to prevent the problem from happening in the first place, not deal with treating if after the fact.” Good training is one of the most crucial aspects of preventive therapy, and easily as important as any of the vaccines or medications your dog will ever receive.
