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Are You Making These Common Mistakes with Your Pet's Health?

Pets can be a source of joy and companionship, but they can also present a variety of challenges, even to the best prepared of owners. From not recognizing when your pet is sick to not providing them with the right nutrition, there are many common mistakes pet owners make that can have serious consequences for their pet's health. Here are the top five mistakes pet owners make and how to avoid them.

1. Not Recognizing When Your Pet Is Sick

Animals are tremendous masters of disguise; they don't want to inconvenience us by letting us know they feel poorly. Usually by the time owners notice signs of illness, a pet has been sick for quite some time. This is why it's important to take your pet for regular preventive care exams at the veterinarian. Doing so allows you to catch diseases like arthritis and renal disease much earlier in the process, saving you money and your pet pain and stress.

2. Not Feeding Your Pet the Right Diet

Choosing a pet food can be confusing, especially with so many options available. Meanwhile, the person at the pet food store, convincing as they may be, doesn't know your pet's medical history the way your vet does. If your veterinarian recommends a specific diet for your pet, there's usually an excellent reason. Diet plays a key role in your pet's health, so make sure to include their number one health advocate in that decision.

3. Not Keeping Your Pet at a Healthy Weight

It's easy to think that your pet isn't overweight or obese, especially if the majority of dogs and cats in American households are packing on extra pounds. But the truth is, your pet could be overweight or obese and you wouldn't even know it. Your veterinarian can assess your pet with an objective tool such as the Healthy Weight Protocol to give you an accurate idea of what your pet's weight should be, as well as a specific diet plan to get you to that healthy goal.

4. Not Introducing Pets Properly

Allowing dogs to greet nose-to-nose for their first introduction can prove to be dangerous for one of the pets or even their owners. It takes only a second for a bite to the face to occur if one of the dogs decides they are not a fan of the other, and even those of us with the best reflexes cannot stop this blink-of-an-eye injury from happening. You can prevent dangerous confrontations from happening by first asking the other pet owner from afar if their dog is good with other animals. If the owner gives their OK, guide your pet to the new dog's tail end to let them get to know each other before meeting face to face. This is a natural way for dogs to meet, rather than going nose to nose, which can be offensive to pets.

5. Not Trimming Your Pet's Nails

Some pet owners may not think too much of their pet's overgrown nails, but this can be a source of pain and even medical problems. Overgrown nails can cause a number of problems, including growing into the footpad, which can cause extreme pain and infection, breaking off and bleeding excessively, or partially breaking off, which often needs sedation to fix. Even more troubling, chronically overgrown nails can even change the natural angle at which your dog stands and can cause arthritis to occur in those limbs in the long term. Less active dogs who spend a lot of time indoors may be more prone to overgrown nails, so check your pets' paws regularly.

FAQ

Q: What are the most common mistakes pet owners make?

A: The most common mistakes pet owners make are not recognizing when their pet is sick, not feeding their pet the right diet, not keeping their pet at a healthy weight, not introducing their pets properly, and not trimming their pet's nails.

Q: How can I tell if my pet is sick?

A: The best way to tell if your pet is sick is to take them for regular preventive care exams at the veterinarian. Doing so allows you to catch diseases like arthritis and renal disease much earlier in the process, saving you money and your pet pain and stress.

Q: How can I make sure my pet is at a healthy weight?

A: Your veterinarian can assess your pet with an objective tool such as the Healthy Weight Protocol to give you an accurate idea of what your pet's weight should be, as well as a specific diet plan to get you to that healthy goal.

Q: How can I introduce my pet to another pet safely?

A: You can prevent dangerous confrontations from happening by first asking the other pet owner from afar if their dog is good with other animals. If the owner gives their OK, guide your pet to the new dog's tail end to let them get to know each other before meeting face to face. This is a natural way for dogs to meet, rather than going nose to nose, which can be offensive to pets.

Q: How often should I trim my pet's nails?

A: It's a good idea to check your pet's nails regularly, especially if they are less active and spend a lot of time indoors. If you notice that their nails are getting too long, it's time to trim them. It's best to have a professional groomer or veterinarian trim your pet's nails.

Examples

Here are some examples of how pet owners can avoid common mistakes:

• Take your pet for regular preventive care exams at the veterinarian.
• Include your veterinarian in the decision when choosing a pet food.
• Use an objective tool such as the Healthy Weight Protocol to assess your pet's weight and create a diet plan.
• Ask the other pet owner if their dog is good with other animals before introducing your pet.
• Check your pet's nails regularly and have a professional groomer or veterinarian trim them if needed.

Quiz

1. What is the best way to tell if your pet is sick?

A. Take them for regular preventive care exams at the veterinarian 

B. Ask the other pet owner if their dog is good with other animals 

C. Use an objective tool such as the Healthy Weight Protocol

 D. Have a professional groomer or veterinarian trim their nails

2. How can you make sure your pet is at a healthy weight?

A. Take them for regular preventive care exams at the veterinarian 

B. Ask the other pet owner if their dog is good with other animals 

C. Use an objective tool such as the Healthy Weight Protocol 

D. Have a professional groomer or veterinarian trim their nails

3. How can you introduce your pet to another pet safely?

  A. Take them for regular preventive care exams at the veterinarian

 B. Ask the other pet owner if their dog is good with other animals

 C. Use an objective tool such as the Healthy Weight Protocol 

 D. Have a professional groomer or veterinarian trim their nails