Over thousands of years of evolution, we as a species have formed a bond with cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals. Just as we rely on these animals for companionship, they too rely on us for care and safety. Like humans, animals are susceptible to disease and illness that can be prevented with proper care and regular medical examinations. Here are some tips to properly care for our pets.
Caring for the Health of Animals
Understanding your pet’s biology is an important first step towards providing them with an adequate level of care. Dogs and cats have specialized digestive tracts that are able to process some food better than others; for this reason the best pet diet advice is to keep your pets on a specialized diet and ensure that they are not eating human food. When it comes to medicine for animals, only give your pets medication that has been prescribed by a veterinarian as some medicine can have adverse effects on animals. Some medicine for animals such as antibiotics ought to be given for a certain length of time — many pet owners discontinue giving their pets medication once they start feeling better despite the fact that this can cause the pet to regress back into the illness.
Different Kinds of Veterinarians
When it comes to a vet, pet owners ought to employ the same level of scrutiny that they have for a human doctor. Like human doctors, many vets specialize by working on certain types of animals or conditions. Around three-quarters of all vets in the United States are employed in a private practice that treats animals with the remaining percentile working in a veterinarian hospital or as a field vet. For larger animals like cows and horses, many vets will make house calls as they travel to see their patients. Choosing a vet that is right for your animal is essential to the future health and wellness of your pet — ensure that your vet is one that your pet feels comfortable with as well as the safety and happiness of your pet ought to be a deciding factor.
When to Schedule an Appointment for Your Pet
Many pet owners schedule an appointment to the vet as soon as the get their pet to ensure that everything is healthy; unfortunately in many cases this first visit may also be the pet’s last visit as a majority of pet owners do not schedule regular check-ups. Dogs and cats under the age of 10 ought to visit a veterinarian once per year and animals over the age of 10 are advised to see a vet twice per year. Veterinary care includes everything from injury care, prescribing medicine for animals, composing a specialized diet plan, dental cleaning, and everything else that would be expected of a human doctor. In order to better ensure the health, longevity, and happiness of your pet, consider scheduling an appointment with a local vet that you trust.