What Does Preventative Care for Dogs Mean?
Preventative care for dogs means keeping your dog healthy and happy to ensure they are in optimal health. Since dogs can develop a variety of conditions ranging from infectious diseases such as Parvo or Distemper to intestinal parasites, fleas, ticks, or periodontal disease, pet owners should know that official preventative wellness plans now exist.
Both the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association have come together to develop guidelines to assist pet parents in preventing these conditions and making sure that their dogs’ health status is always on par. In the following sections, we’ll discuss what these guidelines include.
One of the first steps in preventative care for dogs is vaccinations. Some of the most important vaccinations are given to a dog during the first year of its life. There are many vaccines for dogs these days, but they can be split up into two major categories: core and non-core vaccines.
Core vaccines are those that can protect your dog against serious infectious illnesses such as parvovirus, distemper, or rabies. On the other hand, non-core vaccines have to be administered to dogs depending on their life situations.
For example, in some areas of the United States, your vet could recommend that you do opt for a non-core vaccine against Lyme disease simply because your puppy has a higher risk of catching it in that region.
Another non-core vaccine is the one against Kennel cough, which should in fact be mandatory for the healthcare of dogs commonly used for breeding. They tend to live in canine communities, so if they are not vaccinated and one case of kennel cough appears, all of the dogs can easily become infected.
Puppies have to be administered a vaccination plan which could last for up to three or four months depending on the vaccination scheme your veterinarian opts for. Following this period, your dog will have to receive booster vaccinations every year so as to control and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
A visit to the vet for these vaccinations is necessary every year, but you should know that some vaccines (such as rabies one) can protect your dog for up to two years, not one, depending on their type.
Preventive health care largely relies on making sure that your dog gets a routine veterinary examination on a regular basis. Depending on your dog’s age, this could mean that vet visits have to happen once a year, twice a year, or more. Maintaining these routine visits is especially important in preventative care for dogs. When they miss a routine checkup, health issues that have developed since the last checkup may go unnoticed, leading to more serious health issues.
A senior dog can develop a chronic disease that makes physical examinations necessary more often, so biannual veterinary visits are usually needed after the age of 7. Senior pets also have to go through more detailed dental care exams. Between the ages of one and six, healthy adult dogs should benefit from at least one yearly vet exam.
Some dog breeds can be predisposed to developing certain health conditions that are hereditary. For example, a German Shepherd or a Labrador Retriever is much more likely to get hip dysplasia than any other dog breed.
For this reason, early screening can play a huge part in the prevention and adequate treatment of such a condition. Potential dog owners should know that some pets are at a higher risk of developing some diseases, so we recommend that you do your research before buying a puppy.
Small dog breeds such as Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, or Poodles are more likely to develop teeth problems, which is why dental care is extremely important in their case.
If you do adopt or buy a certain breed that could develop a genetic body condition such as IVDD in Dachshunds, you should be aware that regular veterinary care is of utmost importance.
Internal and external parasite testing is an essential part of preventive health care in all dogs, regardless of their age or the other health issues they might have. Preventative care for dogs means regular testing is a must!
Your veterinarian can recommend heartworm testing if you live in a location where mosquitoes are known for transmitting this condition. In fact, all dogs have to be tested every year so as to make sure that the heartworm prevention program is actually working.
As for the rest of the internal parasites that your dog can get from the outdoor environment or from other pets they come in contact with, your veterinarian can advise you as to how often you should deworm your canine friend. More often than not, you should aim at deworming your dog once every 3-4 months and examining their feces so as to make sure that there aren’t any eggs or larvae in them.
If you do find any parasite eggs, adults, or larvae, you should take your dog in for a vet visit or at least administer a second dose 7 to 10-12 days after the first. Unfortunately, not all parasites have the same life cycles, which means that the second and potentially the third dose have to be administered differently depending on the type of parasite your dog has.
To give you an example, the standard second dose of the dewormer has to be administered to dogs that have tapeworms 12-14 days after the first. However, if your dog has roundworms, the second dose should happen around 7 to 10 days after your pet has received the first.
Flea and tick prevention is another aspect that needs to be managed as best as possible. Healthy dogs can develop a variety of diseases because of these fleas and ticks, so year-round protection can be essential.
Ticks can transmit anything from Lyme disease to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, and Anaplasmosis. If you do not spot the signs of these diseases early on and you don’t take your pet to the vet hospital for an exam as soon as possible, you’re effectively putting your dog’s life and health at a risk.
These days, there are many products that can prevent your dog from getting fleas and ticks. The most convenient ones are spot-on solutions, some of which can have a protection date for up to 2-3 months.
Your dog’s dental health can influence the way the rest of their body functions. Did you know that a pet that has dental disease is more likely to develop cardiac health issues? Besides being essential for feeding, your dog’s teeth and gums are also the first barriers that they have against microorganisms.
When you bring your puppy to the animal hospital for the first time, your veterinarian is likely to recommend an oral care routine. It could involve using mouthwash for dogs or brushing your dog’s teeth once every several days.
Mouthwashes are extremely easy to use as they are, in fact, water additives that make it more difficult for tartar and plaque to build upon your dog’s teeth. Tooth brushing might be a less enjoyable part of dental care, especially when performed on the internal side of your pet’s teeth, but it is excellent for preventing periodontal disease and other oral health complications.
Try to think of a dental preventive care routine that your dog can get used to without turning it into something they loathe. Reward your dog with a dental snack or with playtime so that they have something to look forward to.
When you take your pet to the animal hospital for routine exams, ask your veterinarian to perform dental disease screening, too. Whether it consists of a clinical exam or something more delicate such as tartar removal, preventive oral healthcare can keep your dog’s gums and teeth healthy for a long time.
If your pet isn’t meant to be used for breeding, you should consider neutering or spaying as soon as possible. A puppy can be ‘fixed’ when they reach the age of six months. In female puppies, especially, spaying can be an early preventive method against health complications such as uterine infections or mammary cancer.
In male puppies, on the other hand, it can be a prevention method for prostate cancer. Although pet owners tend to think that they should leave their puppies to experience their first heat cycle or even have a litter to be healthy, the truth is that it’s not necessary.
Naturally, you will want your pet to look like a healthy adult. That is why spaying or neutering dogs before the age of five months are not advised as the procedure can interfere with their growing process. Your veterinarian can supply you with more information in this sense, so don’t be afraid to ask.
Food is an important part of wellness and preventive care, especially in dogs. Of course, the food you give your pets should depend on their age, physical health, breed, skin health, and a number factors that can all influence the body condition of any animal. It also depends on their breed. Small dogs such as Dachshunds have different needs than a large Great Dane.
Any foods you give your dog should have key ingredients to sustain its health. Be sure to read the reviews. Just because a dog food touts wellness doesn’t always mean it will deliver on its promise. I recommend Alpha Paw Vitality dog food for pet parents who want to feed their pups high-quality, yet affordable dog food.
If your fur buddy starts showing signs of eating issues including eating its own poop, you may want to take him the to vet sooner rather than later. It could be a sign of a more serious issue. Additionally, if you want to switch dog food, you may also need to consult your vet.
During your visits to the animal hospital, ask your vet what they believe the appropriate diet for your adult, puppy, or senior pet is. They are aware of the physical conditions Fido is suffering from, so they’re the best to advise you on the right feeding schedule and specific nutrition.
If puppies do not get the right nutrition or the right amount of exercise, they can be more likely to become obese. Obie was a Dachshund who weighed almost three times as much as he should because of his poor diet and lack of exercise. Thankfully, his story had a happy ending. His story showed that the quality of the diet you give your dog has a lot to do with his overall health.
Although they are omnivorous, especially when compared to cats, dogs should have as little grain as possible in their diet. Unfortunately, these days you might find that a lot of commercial diets, especially kibble, contain low-quality ingredients such as corn or wheat.
Keeping pets’ weight in check should be a part of your wellness and prevention care goals, but so should making sure that your dog gets enough physical exercise. Once a week, take your dog out for a long hike or walk in the park for at least two hours. Spending quality time with your pooch is important both for their body, but also for their mind.
The old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” certainly holds true when it comes to pet health. The cost of prevention is often a fraction of the cost of treating a disease or problem once it has become more advanced, and early diagnosis and treatment of developing problems or diseases can increase the likelihood of successful outcomes.
Preventive healthcare involves a multi-faceted approach that includes veterinary evaluation of your pets overall health and risks of disease or other health problems. Based on the findings, your veterinarian will provide you with recommendations for your pets nutrition, dental care, vaccinations and heartworm/flea/tick prevention, as well as recommendations specifically tailored to your pets health status and risk factors.
Partners for Healthy Pets:Partners for Healthy Pets provides a suite of tools that help veterinarians work with clients to improve the overall health of pets. This Practice Resources Toolbox can be used throughout the veterinary practice to help deliver preventive healthcare as effectively as possible. The tools include:
How can I keep my pet free from parasites?
Parasites come in two forms: internal, including intestinal parasites and heartworms, and external, including fleas, ticks, lice, and mites. Many of these parasites can cause discomfort for your pet. Some are life-threatening.
Veterinarians recommend screening your pet for parasites at least once a year. Fecal testing is used to check for common intestinal parasites, including roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. Blood testing is used to screen for heartworms and tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia. Your veterinarian will look for evidence of external parasites during their physical examination and may check for mites on the skin or in the ears under the microscope if your pet is itchy.
The type of parasites that are most common in your area will vary by geography. You can learn what parasites your pet might be most at risk for based on your location through the Companion Animal Parasite Council. Your vet will recommend preventives to maximize the protection for your pet based on your location and your pet’s lifestyle.