Steps To Be A Responsible New Pet Owner

Becoming a pet owner can be a major responsibility that individuals may not always thoroughly research first. This can lead to them making mistakes that can put their new pet's health at risk for largely needless reasons. A little research and forethought will allow your pet to avoid these issues so that it will have the highest quality of life while avoiding potentially expensive medical bills.

Keep Your Indoor Pet Vaccinated

Pet vaccinations are the first and most effective defense against a range of potentially life-threatening health problems and diseases. For example, vaccinating your pet will keep it safe from contracting rabies, parvovirus, and a range of other deadly diseases. Unfortunately, individuals will frequently fail to have their animal vaccinated if it stays inside. However, you should be mindful of the reality that fleas, mosquitoes, and mites that carry diseases can make it into your home where they can bite your pet. This makes it important to keep your animal vaccinated regardless of whether the pet will live inside or not.

Monitor Your Animal's Dental Health

Improper dental care is another serious issue that pets can experience. When a pet's teeth and gums are not regularly cleaned, the animal will be at risk of contracting gum disease and other oral health conditions. These problems can make it difficult for your pet to eat, and they can also enter the bloodstream where they may contribute to widespread illness or disease in the animal. Unfortunately, these problems are especially risky in older pets as they may not be able to recover or resist these illnesses as effectively. Yearly dental cleanings and checkups will be vital for making sure that your pet lives a healthy life.

Trim Your Dog's Nails

For dog owners, trimming the animal's nails can be a routine type of care that will have to be performed. Failing to keep the dog's nails trimmed can lead to your floors suffering scratches while also making it uncomfortable for the animal to walk. Sadly, if you go too long without trimming the nails, the nerves and blood vessels may grow into the nail, which can make it harder to trim. Familiarizing your dog with having its feet handled can help to reduce the anxiety or flinching the animal does while you are trimming its nails.

Invest In A Microchip For All Your Pets

Losing a pet is a nightmare scenario for most pet owners. While a collar and tag can make it possible for the animal to be found and returned, there are many ways where this can fail. For example, the collar may come off the animal or the tag may be too damaged to be read. Having a microchip implanted in the animal will allow for the animal to be scanned if it is found. These chips will have your contact information so that you can be contacted as soon as possible.


Share