Pets are one of life’s great pleasures. They provide you with unlimited love, snuggles and endless amusement. In return, you give them a safe and loving environment. These ten tips will help you keep your furry companion safe and healthy.
- Annual Shots
Just like humans, dogs need to be protected against diseases in their environment. A yearly inoculation is essential to protecting your cat or dog against preventable diseases that are severely impairing or deadly. Ask your vet to send you a reminder notice each year to help you keep up with pet vaccines.
- Pet Friendly Pest Control
Chemicals traditionally used by exterminators are bad for both humans and pets. While it may take years for the chemicals to affect humans, cats and dogs have a lower tolerance to these harmful pesticides. Speak with your exterminator about the pet friendly options they offer to keep your furry friend in good health.
- Pet Friendly Lawn
When you have a pet that likes to romp around outdoors, a well groomed lawn is a necessity. Long, unkempt grass attracts rodents and parasitic insects that carry harmful diseases. It’s also easy for fallen twigs that can can puncture a playful pup to hide in tall grass. Searching for ‘ lawn care companies near me’ will help you find a professional to keep your yard safe for Fido.
- Out of Reach Food
Many of the foods we enjoy are lethal to cats and dogs. Chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins and beer are delicious but deadly to your pet. Be sure to store all foods in areas that are inaccessible to your pets. Keep your garbage secure in a locking trash can to avoid trash raids.
- Safe House Plants
House plants add ambience and clean the air, but many species spell severe sickness or even death for a pet. Before you decorate your home with a plant, do your research to see if it is a safe option for your pets.
- Careful Cleaning
Dogs and cats have noses and lungs that are designed to be sensitive to smells. Commercial cleaners are often too powerful for them to comfortably handle. When you are using strong cleaners, keep your pup or kitty in a separate room until the scent dissipates.
7 Consider Chipping
No matter how careful you are about shutting doors and gates, the possibility of your pet slipping past you unnoticed is very real. If your pet escapes, microchipping provides an easy way for them to be returned to you if they are picked up by a kind stranger or animal control.
- Monthly Parasite Protection
The dense, furry coats of your pet look like a cozy home to parasitic pests. Ticks and fleas seek out warm blooded hosts, like cats and dogs, to feed from. If your pet picks up one of these parasites, they will often chew and scratch raw spots on their skin to rid themselves of the pest. It’s important to keep ticks and fleas off your pet and out of your home by giving your pet a monthly flea and tick prevention medication.
- Careful in Extreme Weather
You and your pet are very different when it comes to temperature regulation. It is never safe to assume that your pet is comfortable because you are. In extreme hot or cold weather keep your pet indoors. Cats and dogs have a lower tolerance for heat than humans. Be sure to keep walks short and in the coolest part of the day, and provide plenty of fresh water in a climate controlled environment. In snowy weather, keep cats indoors, and outfit your dog with shoes to protect their paws during walks.
- Invest in Quality Treats
The manufacturing of dog and cat treats is virtually unregulated. There are many scary cases where a pet was poisoned after being fed treats with unsafe ingredients. Invest a little extra money in treats with high quality ingredients to protect your pet from accidental poisoning.
