You no doubt want to give your pet the very best. Improving the overall health and wellness of your pet is easy if you are armed with the right information.
Here are five proven ways that you can improve the health and overall well-being of your favourite animal. The image source is Pexels.
Choose the Right Food
The cornerstone of good health for your pet starts with what they eat. Many people make the mistake of feeding their animals too much food thinking that more is a good thing. Knowing the proper serving sizes for your pet will ensure that they are getting just what they need.
The feeding instructions on the bag will help you to figure out the proper portion sizes so that you do not inadvertently overfeed or underfeed your pet. When purchasing pet food, be sure to read the label and look for healthy proteins. Good choices include turkey, chicken, and salmon. It is also a good idea to avoid pet food that has a high amount of fillers.
Get Your Pet Moving
Many pets are overweight because they do not get enough exercise each day. Being intentional about getting your pet outside and moving will have a significant positive effect on their overall health. Not only will regular exercise provide a number of physical health benefits for your pet, but it will boost their emotional well-being and provide mental stimulation.
Depending on the breed and the age, most dogs need about 60 minutes of active walking or running each day. This need will vary greatly between dogs, making it important that you do your research and take cues from your animal. Conversely, cats tend to enjoy being active in shorter yet more frequent increments.
Provide Proper Mental Stimulation
Providing an environment that is rich in stimulation will ensure that your pet has the stimuli that it needs to stay mentally sharp. Leaving your animal with plenty of interesting things to see and play with is especially important if you are gone from the home often. Cats love tree shelves and other things that they can use to climb and get cosy inside. Dogs will appreciate toys and puzzles that challenge them to solve a problem.
Regular Veterinarian Visits
Just like humans, pets need regular health care by a trained professional. There is no substitute for proper preventative care for your pet. Most vets will recommend that you bring your healthy pet in for check-ups once or twice per year. If you wait until something is wrong to bring in your pet for an examination, it may be too late.
If you are worried about high veterinarian bills, you may want to consider purchasing an affordable pet insurance plan for your animal. A comprehensive pet insurance plan can protect you financially against accidents, illnesses, and other types of medical emergencies.
Do Not Ignore Your Pet's Oral Hygiene
In addition to taking care of all of the medical and nutritional needs of your pets, you also need to pay attention to their oral hygiene needs. Even the best pet owners neglect the oral healthcare needs of their pets at times. It is important to understand that some pets show signs of periodontal disease as early as three years of age.
You can mitigate the onset of periodontal disease and other oral health issues by regularly brushing your pet's teeth. Your local pet store will offer a number of dental hygiene products for your animals, including brushes and pastes to combat tartar, plaque, and bad breath.
Conclusion
These five tips are a great start if you are looking to ensure that your pet is as healthy and happy as possible
