How to have a healthy dog?

The highest priority for any dog owner is the health of his dog. How do you insure it? A dog is a member of the family in its own right. As such, it is your duty as an owner to make sure that your dog is happy and healthy.

In concrete terms, this implies multiple care and practices, some of which must be carried out daily. They can be grouped under the following headings: hygiene, veterinary care, diet, and physical activity.

Regular care

Having a healthy dog requires regular hygiene measures to be carried out by yourself and others to be entrusted to a professional.

Cleaning the eyes and ears, for example, involves simple gestures that can be done at home using the appropriate products: a specific ear lotion for dogs for the ears, an eye antiseptic, or a physiological serum for the eyes. The same goes for brushing the coat and bathing the dog, which will ensure that the dog's coat and skin are healthy and free of parasites.

The owner can also take care of the dog's paws and nails, but for the latter, it is better to let the groomer or the veterinarian do it if you are not sure of the right way to do it. The risk is, indeed, to cut the claw too short or to hurt the animal.

As far as dental care is concerned, if brushing is the owner's business, other interventions, such as scaling, require specific equipment and techniques that the veterinarian has.

A quality veterinary follow-up

Other care is exclusively reserved for the veterinarian. This goes from the routine annual visit to the nightly emergency interventions, through specialized acts (behavioral consultation, sterilization, radiography...).

These consultations are essential, but some of these health services can be particularly expensive, whether they correspond to regular care or to major unforeseen events, such as an accident in everyday life. In this respect, it is strongly advised to subscribe to pet health insurance in order to control its veterinary expenses.

This way, you can offer your dog quality follow-up and care without having to worry about the cost.

The price of dog insurance is more than a reasonable investment when you are sure to be reimbursed for a large part of the medical and surgical expenses, which represent significant sums. In case of an accident, the bill can amount to several hundred euros between consultation, radio, surgery, anesthesia, and hospitalization costs.

An adapted diet and daily exercise

Having a healthy dog also means providing him with a quality diet adapted to his specific needs.

The dog's daily meals must meet its needs, which vary according to its age, lifestyle, and size. Other factors must be taken into account in the choice of kibble, mash, or in the preparation of homemade rations: sterilized or not, chronic diseases (diabetes, overweight, kidney failure...)

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At the same time, the dog must have regular physical activity to maintain its good health, but also its psychological and emotional balance. Long daily or twice-daily outings, sports disciplines such as agility or canicross, as well as indoor and outdoor games, contribute to his well-being. These activities solicit his muscles, stimulate his cardio-respiratory capacities, improve his coordination and contribute to the reinforcement of his natural defenses.