Dog Health Advice

When caring for a dog, there are many different pet care procedures that are necessary for your dog’s health. While most of pet care can be accomplished through common sense, there are several bits of advice that will greatly help you in providing the best possible care for your dog. Maintaining your dog’s health is the most important part of pet care, since it will help prevent potentially serious medical conditions.
NUTRITION
One of the most important parts of caring for your dog’s health is to ensure that they are receiving proper nutrition. This is more difficult to accomplish than it initially appears, since many of the commercial dog food formulas available on the market today contain ingredients that are not designed with your dog’s health in mind. For example, some pet nutritionalists recommend avoiding any dog food that contains corn, since corn is not easily digested by a dog’s system. Corn is usually added to dog food formulas as a filler ingredient, especially in dry kibble formulas. Many dog owners have made the choice to switch their dog to a completely grain-free diet, since this more closely emulates the diet of dogs in the wild.
VITAMINS
Highly nutritional dog food can be relatively expensive, so it is important to shop around. If you have to settle for a less expensive brand of dog food, try to include vitamin supplements in your dog’s diet as an additional source of nutrition. However, do not exceed the recommended daily allowance of vitamins for your dog. Some dogs may have adverse health effects if given too much of certain vitamins.
WATER
Another important part of caring for your dog’s health is fresh, available water. This is actually ignored by many pet owners, and some dog owners may even refill their dog’s water dish only once per week. In reality, it is much more beneficial for your dog’s health if you provide fresh, clean water on a daily basis. Though this will require daily maintenance of your dog’s water bowl, it can actually go a long way in maintaining good health for your dog.
REGULAR VETERINARY VISITS
Perhaps the best piece of advice for caring for your dog’s health is to schedule regular visits with a veterinarian. A veterinarian will usually be able to identify any potential health problems in your dog during their early stages, which usually results in a higher treatment success rate. Even if your dog does not appear to be sick, it is generally a good idea to bring them to the veterinarian on a regular basis.
There are many different things you can do to help your dog to stay happy, healthy and disease-free during most of their lifetime. Remember, owning a dog involves a significant amount of responsibility. Don’t neglect to pay close attention to any changes in your dog’s health, since they could potentially signify a medical condition that requires treatment. If you use your own common sense, and follow this dog health advice, you will be able to provide the best possible care for your dog.