Furry Friends: 5 Key Health Considerations for Your Dog

As you probably were well aware, your dog is more than a best friend — without question, she’s a member of your family. But your four-legged buddy has some very particular health considerations that are somewhat different from his bipedal brethren. In order to keep her constitution in top shape, here are some key health considerations for your fuzzy buddy.

Keep Your Dog Well-Hydrated

Not unlike humans, your dog’s body is constituted of nearly 60% water. Not only is water important for dissolving and distributing essential substances throughout her furry little body, it’s also the key ingredient for most of the reactions and process that maintain her health. These water-dependent processes include the regulation of body temperature, digestion and circulation, and the filtering of waste materials. Damage to the heart and acute renal failure (ARF) can be caused in the event your pup becomes severely dehydrated.

Subsequently, you’ll want to make sure your dog always has access to clean water. However, it’s important to note that most tap water contains chemicals that can affect her much more dramatically than they do humans. Chlorine, for instance, can potentially eliminate helpful bacteria from your dog’s stomach, and (in some cases) it can even cause cancer. You may want to consider getting a whole house water filter and softener to remove these chemicals.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure your dog has roughly one ounce of water per pound ever day. If you have a 60-lb. labrador, for example, you’d want to make sure your pooch gets at least 60 oz. of water daily. However, you’ll want to give her more if she’s been particularly active, if it’s really hot, or if you’re giving her particular medications.

Prevent Your Dog From Getting Parasites

Although they’re easily preventable, parasites affect thousands of American dogs every year because owners haven’t taken the proper preventative measures. Heartworms, fleas and ticks, and intestinal parasites all can easily be stopped via veterinarian-approved supplements and medicines.

Heartworms, in particular, are incredibly dangerous to your pooch. If left untreated, the symptoms associated to these parasites can compromise your dog’s quality of life and eventually result in her death. Although it’s sometimes hard to distinguish between the many myths and facts about heartworms, these parasites are only contracted from infected mosquitoes. And while heartworms are really time-intensive and expensive to treat, they can be prevented by a range of affordable products (pills, topicals and even injections).

Regularly Grooming Your Pup is Crucial for Health

Grooming is really important for your dog’s health in a couple of ways. By regularly brushing her, you’ll not only cut down on the amount of fur she sheds in your home, but you’ll also be able to prevent matting and proactively monitor any skin problems. You’ll also want to regularly trim her nails (particularly if you don’t walk her on concrete very often) to increase her level of comfort when walking and playing. Trimming also prevents infections from splitting and cracking nails.

You should also make it a habit to routinely clean her ears, particularly if she has big floppy ear flaps. It’s warm and moist inside those flaps, making them the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and a prime spot for irritating ear infections. If you notice a strong odor or a discharge coming from the ears, then your pup probably has an infection.

Nutrition, Exercise and Vaccinations are Important

Nutrition is one of the most crucial health considerations for your pup. She should have a balanced diet that takes into account her size and level of activity, her health needs, her age, and her breed. And the more active she is, the better her physical well-being is likely to remain. Speak to your vet about your pup’s own particular exercise and diet needs — most veterinarians will work with you to create a comprehensive plan to keep your dog in tip-top shape.

And while you’re there at the vet, you should also get all the proper vaccinations for her. Not only is it law to vaccinate your pet in many states, but vaccines will prevent her from contracting diseases like rabies, distemper, kennel cough (bordetella), Lyme disease, canine influenza and more. Your vet will have more information on which vaccines are necessary, based on her health, age, and chances for exposure to a particular disease.

Take Care of Your Dog’s Teeth

While brushing your dog’s teeth might seem slightly ridiculous, it’s nonetheless important for their health. Mouth infections can potentially spread to other parts of the body, and plaque and tartar can cause tooth decay and lost teeth. Ideally, you should brush her teeth twice a week with an old toothbrush (for bonus points, you can use edible toothpastes specially formulated for dogs).

Follow these five health tips, and you’ll be able to enjoy many long and happy years with your favorite furry friend. Not only will you be ensuring she stays at the pinnacle of health, but you’ll be treating her with the care and respect that she deserves as a member of your family. What other health tips do you recommend for people’s pooches? Tell us what’s up in the comment section.

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