01/01/2022
22 Things Every Pet Owner Should Know for 2022
1. Pets kept at a lean weight live longer with less co-morbidities – Get your hands on your pet weekly. What you want to feel - easily palpable ribs with minimal fat, visible waist and abdominal tuck. Obesity is caused by too many calories. Show your love with play, affection and exercise, not treats 😊
2. Your pets need their nails trimmed every 3-4 weeks. Long nails are bad for conformation (affect how your pet moves) and predisposes to painful torn nails.
3. Kennel training your pets is so important for their well being. It allows them to be comfortable and safe in any environment. EVERY pet should be kennel trained. There are TONS of great ways to work on this using positive training methods.
4. Pet owners need to take a proactive approach to their pet’s health. Yearly to twice a year (more often as your pet ages) vet visits AND monthly AT HOME exams. Look at your pet’s eyes, ears, teeth, feet, palpate for lumps and bumps. Monitor food and water intake and output. If you notice anything concerning, address it quickly with a vet visit. Lots can be done if concerns are addressed early.
5. Exercise is crucial to your pet’s physical and mental welfare. Dogs require exercise every day, some breeds more (a lot more) than others. So many behavioural issues can be eliminated by sufficient exercise. Cats too, need exercise and habitat enrichment to prevent behavioural issues.
6. Training – your pet needs to know basic commands, how to walk on a leash without pulling and how to be a polite member of society. Information abounds on training methods. 5-10 minutes a day pays off in a polite pet.
7. Teach your pet to enjoy having their feet handled. Massage when they are relaxed, don’t force it and don’t wait until you HAVE to handle their feet.
8. If you are given medications for your pet, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS! If you aren’t sure if the medication goes in the fridge, look on the box. If you weren’t told to refrigerate, DON’T! Finish all medications to prevent bacterial resistance or failure of treatment.
9. Bones are not good for your pet. They break teeth and can splinter and cause foreign bodies. Debate if you will, but veterinarians see a lot of fractured teeth and foreign bodies. Rule of thumb from the dental specialists – if you don’t want to hit yourself in the knee with it, don’t give it to your pet.
10. On that note, the best way to prevent dental disease is DAILY tooth brushing. This literally needs to take 30 seconds a day. Positive reinforcement training methods are great for teaching pets to enjoy tooth brushing.
11. Obesity, dental disease and allergies are common problems that veterinarians see. Obesity leads to health issues like diabetes, arthritis, pancreatitis, etc. Dental disease causes pain (which pets are great at hiding) and constant bacteria entering the bloodstream (more health issues). Allergies cause skin infections, ear infections, itching.
12. Allergies can be caused by food or environmental allergens. 99% of food allergies are caused by protein source (chicken, beef, dairy and eggs are the most common). Grains rarely cause allergies. Environmental allergens (atopy) are a common cause of allergies and can be very challenging to treat.
13. Do your research before bringing a pet into your home. What are you getting? Will your pet match your lifestyle? What are the common diseases your pet may encounter? Are the parents health tested? Was your pet properly socialized? Be a responsible pet owner and know the risks or problems you may encounter. Ensure you are taking on an animal that you have the time and resources to manage throughout its life.
14. Pet care is expensive. Keep a rainy day fund or invest in pet insurance to cover emergencies. Put away $100/month to cover potential issues. That is just $3.33/day.
15. Toxic/bad for dogs: Chocolate, alcohol, grapes, raisins, onion, garlic, chives, fatty foods, corn on the cob, artificial sweetner (xylitol), garbage, bones (there are lots more – do a google search).
16. Toxic/bad for cats: Tylenol (fatal), Lilies, string, see above for dogs, (there are lots more – do a google search)
17. THC is toxic to your pet. Keep your edibles, smokeables and butts away from where your pet can reach them. Many animals also consume these materials outside the home, so if you are walking on public paths or at campsites, etc, keep in mind that people are stupid and litter or defecate in places that pets may have access to.
18. Vaccination prevents common illnesses. The big ones for dogs are parvovirus (which causes bloody diarrhea and vomiting and kills a lot of unvaccinated puppies) and distemper (which causes neurological issues). For cats, vaccination prevents common respiratory illnesses (herpes, calici) and panleukopenia (gi and resp disease which kills a lot of unvaccinated kittens). Vaccinations are inexpensive as compared to treating sick animals with diseases that are almost 100% preventable with vaccinations. Puppies and kittens should start their vaccination series at 6-8 weeks of age.
19. Vaccination against Rabies is incredibly important as it is 100% fatal to animals and humans.
20. Dogs and cats need to be groomed on a regular basis to prevent skin and coat issues (some breeds more than others). Weekly brushing helps removed matts and old hair and stimulate a healthy coat.
21. An animal is a lifetime commitment so make your choices wisely. Pets can bring many years of happiness into our lives. Ensure that you give your pet what it needs to be well balanced, mentally and physically so that they too, lead a happy, healthy life.
22. Here’s to a happy, healthy 2022! Please add a picture of your pet!
