Questions and Answers On Dog Health Care
05 Nov 2009
Here are the answers to just a few of the questions most commonly posed by dog owners.
1. What should I have ready in my home before I bring my puppy home?
The first thing you’ll need is a travel crate for your dog’s trip home. Be sure to have some good puppy food at home and small bowls for food and water, as these are your puppy’s essentials. Your vet, breeder or shelter personnel can tell you which brands of food are the best. The vet will also recommend some other things that you need to have ready at home, such as a lead, collar and suitable bedding. When you have your puppy, make an appointment with the vet to get its first check-up out the way…we’re not saying your puppy will like it, but he needs to have it.
2. How do microchips work?
If you’re trying to be good and look at a wide variety of dog health care tips, one important tip is to get your dog microchipped. The vet will place a small device under your pet’s skin near the neck. If your dog is lost, then any veterinarian or shelter can use a scanner to read the information on the microchip and then return the dog to you. Do you need to microchip your dog? If you are always with your dog, then a microchip might not be necessary. Please remember though that microchipping is harmless and safe, so it is definitely worth considering. Even those dogs that spend most of their time with you can slip their collar and run off.
4. I think my dog has worms – how do I know for certain?
Knowing more about dog health care means delving deeper into the world of potential health problems, and one such issue can be worms. There are some common types of worms that you should be aware of and these include hookworms, tapeworms and whipworms. Worms are internal irritants and one such as heartworms can be fatal. It is therefore essential that your vet routinely checks for worms.
5. Is there a good enough reason why I should get my dog fixed?
Many ask this question, and if your dog is purely for pet purposes, you should get the dog spayed or neutered as soon as possible. Just think of all the millions of stray animals and those that get kicked out of homes – don’t add to this problem, which is why getting your pet ‘fixed’ is the best solution. If there are no complications, your dog can usually come home on the same day.
As well as controlling the over-population of animals, getting your pet ‘fixed’ can also benefit their health. If you have your dog neutered or spayed before it reaches 6 months of age, then its risk of developing certain types of cancers and infections will be cut in half.
