The Vet Equation

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The Vet Equation

We are a dog health brand that offers vet-approved information and products to help your pup thrive.

17/10/2024

Vaccines are important for keeping our furry friends healthy, especially for puppies whose immune systems are still developing and need extra support to fend off serious infections. 🐶💪

Most pet parents know their pups need vaccines, but how do you figure out the best vaccination plan? The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has you covered with their updated guidelines. Here’s what you need to know:

👉 Start Strong: Begin with the distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza (DHPPi) combo vaccine, plus the leptospirosis vaccine, at 6 or 8 weeks old, depending on your puppy’s lifestyle and health risks.

👉 Follow-Up Doses: Most pups will require 3 shots to complete their vaccination series, but depending on when the vaccines started, they may need anywhere from 2 to 4 doses spaced 2 to 4 weeks apart. The final shot should be given at 16 weeks or older to ensure full immune protection.

👉 Ongoing Vaccination: After the initial series, most dogs will need a booster at 1 year old, followed by DHPPi every 3 years and leptospirosis annually.
If you have any questions about your puppy’s vaccination schedule, don’t hesitate to reach out to your vet! They’re here to help keep your pup healthy and happy! 🐾🩺

References:
World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), 2020. Guidelines for the Vaccination of Dogs and Cats.
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), n.d. Vaccines: Protecting Your Pet.

14/10/2024

At The Vet Equation, we’re dedicated to partnering with dog parents to support their pups' health! 🐾❤️

Get to know us a little better with these five fun facts:

1️⃣ Vet-Founded: Our team is led by a vet who understands your dog’s health needs—both from a professional perspective and as a dog parent.

2️⃣ Tailored Recommendations: Unsure which supplements might benefit your pup? Our proprietary vet-designed algorithm matches you with the best health recommendations for your furry friend!

3️⃣ Science-Based Approach: We ground our recommendations in the latest dog health research, making vital information accessible to all pet parents.

4️⃣ Made in the USA: All of our products are crafted in the USA and undergo third-party quality testing for your peace of mind.

5️⃣ Exciting New Products on the Horizon: We have some innovative new products launching soon, and we can't wait to share them with you!

Is there anything else you’d like to know about us? We’d love to hear your questions—hit us with your best! 💬🐶

11/10/2024

Your dog’s annual vet visit is a vital opportunity—not just to keep their vaccinations up to date, but also to discuss any concerns with a doctor who knows your furry friend well. It’s easy to forget important questions during appointments, but being prepared can make a big difference!

Here are our top five questions to consider asking your vet:

🩺 Did you spot anything concerning during the examination?
🩺 Is my dog’s weight and muscle mass within a healthy range?
🩺 Do you think their current diet is appropriate?
🩺 What other preventative health measures can I take?
🩺 Are there any specific signs I should watch for?

We know it can be overwhelming, so jot these down before your appointment, along with any unusual behaviors or concerns you’ve noticed since the last visit.

What other questions do you typically ask? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! 💬🐾

08/10/2024

In our last post, we discussed how much water your dog should be drinking daily. But what if your pup needs a little help staying hydrated? 🐶💧 Here are our top four tips to encourage your furry friend to drink more:

🐾 Incorporate Wet Food: Boost their diet with more wet food or mix some water into their dry kibble to make it more enticing.

🐾 Serve Up Broth: Offer plain, low-fat broth made from chicken or fish—just be sure it’s free of any seasonings!

🐾 Get Creative with Ice: Mix ice cubes into their water bowl or pop frozen treats into toys for a fun, refreshing surprise.

🐾 Revamp Their Water Setup: Try a pet water fountain for fresh, flowing water (and don't forget to clean it regularly!). You can also set out multiple bowls to give them options.

Have we missed any great tips? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below! 💬✨

04/10/2024

🐾 Wondering if your dog is drinking enough water—or maybe too much? 🤔 Understanding your pup's hydration habits starts with knowing how much water they should be getting each day.

Here are some key factors to consider when assessing your dog's daily water intake:

💧 Size, Age, and Activity Level: On average, dogs need about 40 to 60 ml of water per kg of body weight daily. But remember, this can vary based on their lifestyle—active dogs will need more!

💧 Diet: The type of food your dog eats plays a big role. If they mostly munch on dry kibble (which contains about 6-10% moisture), they’ll need to drink more water compared to those enjoying wet food, which can be over 70% water!

💧 Weather Conditions: Hot and humid days can increase your dog's water loss. They pant to cool down, which can lead to more fluid loss alongside salivation and a bit of sweating.

💧 Health Concerns: If you notice changes in your dog's drinking habits, it could signal underlying health issues. In some cases, like dogs prone to forming urinary crystals or stones, your vet might recommend increasing their water intake to help prevent these issues.

Having trouble getting your pup to hydrate? Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll share tips on encouraging your furry friend to drink more! 💧🐶

02/10/2024

Does your dog have long, floppy ears or frequently shake their head and scratch at their ears? This post is for you! 👋

While healthy pets typically don’t need regular deep ear cleaning, dogs prone to recurrent ear infections or irritation require closer attention. Ear irritation is often linked to factors such as conformation (like floppy ears), lifestyle (e.g., swimming), and allergies—whether environmental, food-related, or even parasitic. Dogs with floppy or hairy ears are particularly at risk, as these traits can trap moisture and create an ideal breeding ground for infections, especially in humid climates.

Signs of Irritated Ears:

👉Foul odor coming from the ears
👉Frequent head shaking, more than usual
👉Persistent scratching or rubbing at the ears
👉Redness or swelling in the ear canal
👉Discharge (wax or pus) from the ears
👉Sensitivity or pain when you touch their ears

If left untreated, ear problems can lead to serious consequences, including:

👉Chronic infections that may require more aggressive treatment
👉Damage to the ear canal or eardrum
👉Hearing loss or impairment
👉Behavioral issues (after all, who wouldn’t be grumpy with a constant earache?)

If you’re concerned about your furry friend’s ear health, don’t hesitate to consult your vet for a thorough examination and appropriate management strategies! Any questions about dog ear health? Leave us a question below!

28/09/2024

Did you know today is World Rabies Day? 🐕💉

Rabies is a deadly viral disease with no cure, affecting both people and pets. Thanks to effective vaccination campaigns, Hong Kong remains rabies-free. Most cases worldwide come from dog bites, especially in areas with many strays, making prevention crucial.

In Hong Kong, rabies vaccination is mandatory for all dogs, with licenses tied to this vaccine and renewed every three years.

If you plan to travel with your furry friend, check the rabies requirements for your destination and consult your vet about necessary vaccinations. 🌍❤️

06/09/2024

We’d love all pups to enjoy their vet visits – and some do! But if your pup doesn’t, keep reading for tips on how to make visits to the vet more enjoyable for your pup!

We recommend:

✔️ Booking a time when there may be fewer other people and pets in. How? When booking your appointment, ask the reception team if they can offer you a time (perhaps the first appointment of the day, or the last appointment of the day) where it might be less busy.

✔️ If the waiting room is busy upon arrival, where possible, ask the reception team for accommodations such as waiting outside until it is your turn, or in a quiet room or corner.

✔️ If your pup is very stressed, this will reinforce their negative association with vet visits, making the situation worse over time. Speaking to your vet about their recommendations for calming supplements, or, where appropriate and advised by your vet, medical interventions to reduce anxiety, can make a big difference.

✔️ As a longer term approach, training to reduce negative associations with the vet clinic, such as popping in occasionally when it’s quiet, getting the reception team to give your dog a nice treat, (or at least having nothing stressful happening!) and then leaving. This little exercise helps your dog learn that “vet visits” can be pretty simple and stress-free!

There’s lots that your vet team can do to improve your pet’s experience at the vets, so make sure to talk to them if you need to!

What other tips have worked for you? Let us know in the comments below!

03/09/2024

As we’ve mentioned in our previous post, a good daily dental routine for your dog is critical for healthy teeth and gums! But how can you introduce this routine into your furry friend’s life in a way that’s easy, and as stress-free as possible, for everyone involved? 🤔

Here are 5 of our top tips:

👉 Start as soon as you are able, ideally as a puppy if you have your dog from puppyhood!

👉 Keep sessions super short (a few seconds!) and highly rewarding to avoid impatience and frustration.

👉 Use tasty toothpaste for dogs (chicken or other flavours are available!) and offer it as a treat.

👉 Stop toothbrushing training sessions before your pup tries to escape or wriggle away – this shows your pup that they don’t need to escape for toothbrushing to stop – you WILL stop in a few seconds anyway, so they know they don’t have to resist it! Then over time, you can slowly extend the time of brushing sessions (by a few seconds each time!)

👉 Focus on the outer surfaces of the teeth for 1 or 2 seconds first and build up to a longer routine. Really small steps over time will help to build up to toothbrushing success!

If you’re finding it challenging to get into a good brushing routine, in the meantime you can try some alternatives such as water and food additives or hygiene gels, to help reduce plaque build-up. Speak to your vet about vet-approved options!

30/08/2024

Dental care for our dogs can seem a bit daunting, but it is just as essential for your dog as it is for us humans! 🐶 🦷

Protecting your pet’s teeth and oral health is not only about regular vet checks but also about all the daily things you can do at home to help. The bulk of dental health maintenance really is in your hands as their pawrent. There are 2 main considerations to protect their teeth. Read on to make sure that you are doing them!

🦷 1) Daily toothbrushing – yes, it requires effort and patience, but it really is the most effective way to prevent periodontal disease, and it’s important that you get your pet used to having their teeth brushed as part of their routine.

🦷 2) Avoiding injury or trauma to their teeth - this means avoiding very hard chews like antlers, bones, or rocks, that actually very frequently cause fractures to dogs’ teeth. We know they love them, but in our opinion, the risk just isn’t worth it! Redirect their attention to softer chews, given in a safe way (Check out our “How to Choose Safe Dog Chews” post) to entertain your pup instead.

Want to know how to introduce toothbrushing to your pup? Check out our upcoming post next week!

28/08/2024

Digestive issues in our dogs are never fun to deal with. Importantly, the signs of a sensitive tummy are not always diarrhoea and vomiting.

Read on to learn about other subtle signs that may indicate your pup has a sensitive digestive system.

🐾 Being a picky eater – this can be a sign of a sensitive tummy. Just like with humans, picky eater dogs may be acting this way as they are not feeling entirely comfortable with the food on offer, or have associated eating it with feeling unwell before.

🐾 Having frequent (and often small) bowel movements may be a sign of a more sensitive digestive system.

🐾 Having mucus or a small amount of blood in the stool can be an indicator of inflammation, amongst other reasons.

🐾 Flatulence or burping excessively.

🐾 Licking the air or objects, or licking their lips can be a sign of nausea or may be related to conditions such as acid reflux (which is difficult to prove in dogs, as they cannot tell us about feelings like heartburn, which are reported in humans with acid reflux!)

If you spot any of these signs, speak to your vet to discuss next steps. Your vet may want to perform certain diagnostic tests such as bloodwork, imaging, or stool analysis. Depending on findings or severity of symptoms, they may suggest medication, diet change or trial, or supplements such as probiotics to support gut health.

Learn more about The Vet Equation’s probiotic chew here - 🔗https://thevetequation.com/en/products/prebiotic-and-probiotic-digestive

14/02/2024

Valentine’s Day is pawsome when you are by my side! 🐾💗

Send a virtual Valentine featuring adorable members of pack to your fur-ever love! 💌

Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at The Vet Equation!💗💗💗

Woofs

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🐾 Ever wonder why your dog loves to sniff everything on walks? It’s not just for fun—it’s actually a vital part of their mental enrichment! 🌿✨ Letting your pup take their time to explore scents provides numerous benefits: 🧠 Mental Stimulation: Sniffing engages your dog’s brain, stimulating their senses and keeping them mentally sharp. This can help reduce boredom and anxiety. 🌍 Natural Behavior: Dogs are natural explorers. Allowing them to sniff fulfills their instinctual need to investigate their environment, making walks more satisfying. 🔍 Stress Relief: Just like us, dogs find comfort in familiar scents. Sniffing can be a calming activity, helping to alleviate stress and promote relaxation. 🚶‍♂️ Enhanced Bonding: Slowing down the pace of your walks and allowing your dog to sniff encourages exploration together, strengthening your bond as you share the experience. Next time you’re out, take a moment to let your furry friend indulge their nose. And if you missed it, be sure to check out our previous post about “sniffaris” for more tips on enriching your dog’s walks!

To help joints function normally, many pawrents incorporate supplements into their pup’s routine. Joint supplements can bring benefits to dogs of all ages. In particular, we suggest considering using them for: 🦴 Dogs that are prone to joint issues (this could be due to a breed predisposition for hip or elbow dysplasia, for example, or due to a known condition such as prior injury or diagnosis). 🦴 Mature to senior dogs, as well as. 🦴 Dogs that have a very active lifestyle. Interested in supporting your pup’s joint health? We have the best choice for your pup! Our J+M Joints and Mobility Support formulation contains Glucosamine HCl, Chondroitin sulphate and Hyaluronic acid, which are core ingredients that support the normal functioning of joints. Get your pup’s J+M chews today! 🔗 https://thevetequation.com/en/products/joints-and-mobility-support