October is National Pet Wellness Month
Tips for Pet Wellness from our Chandler Vet
To celebrate National Pet Wellness Month, our Chandler vet would like to share some tips on how to keep your pet healthy! Regular wellness visits are an essential step to keeping your pet happy and comfortable. They can help your pet enjoy a long and healthy life by allowing you to be proactive with your pet’s care. Here are some helpful tips for maintaining your pet’s wellness as told by our Pet Doctor X team!
Get Them a Wellness Visit Every Year
Regular wellness visits are so important to help keep your pet healthy and happy. This visit gives our Chandler vet the opportunity to give your pet a thorough examination of your pet’s entire body. Many health conditions can show early signs in your pet’s paws, ears, mouth, eyes, or really anywhere on the body. By being proactive with your pet’s veterinary care, you can reduce their risk of developing more serious health issues in the future. You also may be able to make certain adjustments to their lifestyle or diet that can help to prevent some health issues from occurring. Wellness visits are so important to keep your pet healthy, and they allow our Chandler vet to develop a full picture of your pet’s health history. With yearly appointments, our team will be able to monitor how your pet is growing, adjust to their lifestyle needs, and get ahead of any issues that could arise in the future.
Maintain Their Healthy Smile
Oral health is directly connected to overall wellness. So many health conditions can show signs in your pet’s smile. Oral health can be connected to organ function, as well as some chronic health conditions. Dental disease is one of the most common diseases in pets. However, regular dental care can help reduce your pet’s risk of dental disease. Try to brush your pet’s teeth whenever possible. Even just weekly brushings can make a big difference in your pet’s oral health. Our Chandler vet also recommends that your pet gets a professional dental cleaning if they have a lot of tartar buildup on their teeth. To help reduce tartar buildup, brush the outside of your pet’s teeth with pet-safe toothpaste. Regular dental care can help your pet have a healthy smile and it can help protect their overall wellness. A healthy pet is a happy pet, so make sure you are taking great care of your pet’s pearly whites!
Provide a Healthy Diet & Plenty of Exercise
Proper diet and nutrition is so important for your pet’s wellness. Pet obesity is very common for older pets, especially once they start to slow down. However, maintaining a healthy weight can keep your pet more comfortable in their old age, and it can keep them healthier for longer. Try to get your pet moving every day, even more for puppies and kittens. This can help keep your pet at a healthy weight, and it can reduce anxiety by releasing their energy. If your pet needs to lose weight, our Chandler vet can recommend nutrition and exercise changes to help them reach their goals. Pet obesity can lead to joint pain, arthritis, and other health complications later on in life. Keep your pet healthy by monitoring their wellness throughout every stage of life and following the nutritional advice provided by our Chandler vet. Generally, treats should only account for about 10% of your pet’s diet, and their daily food should be nutrient-dense. Ask our team for specific food recommendations, especially if your pet has a food allergy. We can help ensure that your pet is getting all the vitamins and minerals they need and recommend any necessary supplements that your pet may require.
Keep Up With Regular Grooming
Grooming is so important to keep your pet comfortable and prevent some health issues. This is a great opportunity to have your pet looked over by a professional. Our groomers are trained veterinary professionals that are able to identify any abnormalities your pet may have. Your pet’s nails and ears need to be maintained to keep them comfortable. We recommend trimming your dog’s nails at least once per month, but no more than every other week. The “quick” inside your pet’s nails grows to be too long and can seriously hurt if clipped, so you need to have your pet’s nails trimmed regularly to prevent the quick from growing. If the quick gets clipped, it can bleed and cause your dog pain. Make sure you are staying up to date with nail trimmings to protect your pet from unnecessary pain. If the nails are not trimmed regularly, your pet may experience pressure on their tendons and joints, and they may even become disfigured. When it comes to your pet’s ears, they need to be wiped regularly with an ear cleaning solution. Ear infections are very common and can cause your pet discomfort. If you see your pet shaking their head frequently, or if they scratch their ear a lot, they may have an ear infection. Bring your pet in for regular grooming services to help maintain their wellness.
Give Your Pet Plenty of Attention
Make sure your furry friend is getting plenty of personal attention throughout the day. While we know you can’t be with your pet all day long, it is so important to dedicate some time to them daily. Your pet’s mental health can have a direct correlation to their physical wellness, so make sure you are caring for their brain! A happy pet is a healthy pet, so find windows of time throughout the day to entertain your best friend. Your pet needs mental stimulation to release energy and stay well-behaved. If left alone, your pet may become lethargic, depressed, or even destructive. Make sure you are caring for their mental health when you are caring for their overall wellness.
To schedule your pet’s next visit, call our Chandler vet at (480) 681-6866 or fill out an appointment request form directly on our site. We look forward to seeing your furry friend, so call today to book their next wellness visit!