3 Essential Aspects of Animal Health You Need to Learn Before Becoming a Pet Parent

For many people, pets are like children – pampered, well-groomed, and truly loved. Whether cats, dogs, or even fish, regardless of the species, most people treat them as one of their own.

If you intend to become a good pet parent, you need to make sure that you learn all about the animal that you plan to take home with you.

Since you are their caretaker, you must be willing to invest the time, money, and effort in ensuring their general well-being.

When it comes to pet health, there are three main things to investigate, including:

1. Eat a healthy diet

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Like any other living thing, animals need food to survive. Since a pet would soon be under your care, you need to learn how to properly feed them.

However, this goes beyond buying dog food and cat food for cats – it's about making sure they have a balanced diet.

To learn, let's just say you will soon see a new puppy at home.

The first thing you should know when welcoming a puppy is that, unlike cats, dogs are not strictly carnivorous. This means that not only can you give them foods other than meat, but that it would be better for their health if you did.

Vegetables, fruits, and grains can provide dogs with valuable vitamins, minerals, and fiber to help them stay fit and healthy. Many excellent dog foods contain high quality versions of these ingredients that will help keep your pup's body in great shape.

In addition to knowing what to feed, you need to learn about items that may be toxic and dangerous to your new pet friend.

Again, this depends on the type of pet you are receiving. The general rule, however, is that not all "human" foods can be given to pets.

Of course, you must never forget to give them just the right amount of food for their own sake. Like malnutrition and improper feeding, overfeeding can affect pet health as it can lead to obesity and other serious health problems such as kidney disease, heart disease, and others.

The end result is weighing your options based on the animal's nutritional needs. If in doubt, ask a veterinarian for advice.

2. Regular exercise and physical activity

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In addition to food, pets also need exercise and regular physical and mental stimulation to stay healthy. Both the mind and body will benefit from involving furry family members in such stimulating activities.

For one thing, exercise helps keep muscles and joints well oiled, so to speak. It also regulates their weight and ensures that their airways are working well.

It helps alleviate boredom and control pet behavior so you don't have to deal with missing shoes, damaged couches, and littered trash on your lawn.

Remember, what most people consider wrongdoing may be a pet just trying to enjoy itself.

As with nutritional needs, dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals have different needs for physical activity.

Following the same example as above, different dogs have different exercise needs based on age, breed, and physical ability. The only thing that won't change is the fact that everyone needs to exercise regularly.

3. Care

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Since your pets live with you, they need to stay clean and hygienic for you too. Of course, they benefit from this as much as you do.

You probably know that cats don't like grooming and have a tendency to tidy themselves up. Fish only need the necessary aquarium supplies and are ready.

Numerous animal care services are available for dogs. However, you can also learn more about home grooming, especially when it comes to taking care of your teeth, paws, and fur.

Home grooming is critical to dog health for two reasons: to ensure that the coat, teeth, and paws are in good condition, and to keep pet owners informed of the general physical well-being of their furry baby.

For example, if you gently brush your dog's fur, you can feel whether it is rough, smooth, or blotchy. These are all subtle indicators of your pet's overall wellbeing.

Just like humans, canines need to be cleaned thoroughly and regularly. There are many dog ​​grooming products you can buy, but be sure to consult your veterinarian first.

As an animal professional, the veterinarian can provide recommendations when it is time for a serious teeth cleaning.

Of course, you shouldn't forget about the paws. Regularly inspecting pets' paws will help you spot any attached foreign objects, splinters, and other objects that could damage them.

Keep in mind that many things can get caught on an animal's feet after a single run through the park. So keep his paws clean.

Total pet care

Overall, pet care is one of the basic, yet important, things that new pet owners should learn about. Make sure you understand everything there is to know about feeding, exercise, and care to make sure that as pet parents, you are ready for life.

About the author:

Sam Saleki is the owner of Paws & Claws, a trusted online family run pet store in Mirdif, Dubai. A lifelong animal lover, Sam founded the company in 2006 to meet the need for a pet store selling high quality dog ​​food, pet accessories and pet care products in the area. Sam is an animal rights attorney and is currently working on an online animal search platform that will facilitate the quick rescue and adoption of animals in need.