Tips for Keeping ‘Man’s Best Friend’ Healthy

A dog is truly man’s (and woman’s) best friend, and therefore, we would do just about anything to keep our dogs safe, happy and healthy. There are many common diseases and conditions that can be easily contracted by our canine companions and compromise their health, whether exploring somewhere brand new, or just in your own backyard, but fortunately, most of them are easy to avoid. From mere nuisances to life threatening conditions, steps can be taken to protect your dog from both infectious diseases and pest-related conditions.

Pesky Pests
Just like infectious diseases, dogs can be prone to many conditions caused by many kinds of pests. Some of these, like heartworms, are transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito and can be life threatening. Others are mostly an annoyance, like the small itchy flea bites that cause your dog to scratch incessantly, although fleas can also carry various diseases. Many of these are easy to treat, but it’s still best to make prevention a priority, including where your let your dog roam. Heartworms are treatable through medication, but it is still best to commit to consistent prevention with a regular heartworm medication you can obtain from your vet. Likewise, fleas can be prevented by wearing a flea collar or through other flea prevention treatments available from your vet.

Infectious Diseases
There are many infectious conditions, both life threatening and curable, which can be contracted by your dog. The good news, is that there are vaccines to prevent many of them. Rabies, for example, is an extremely fatal disease, contracted from the bite of another infected animal, but your pet can be thoroughly protected from it by a simple vaccine, administered by your veterinarian. If your dog is bitten by what you think may be a rabies-infected animal, you should still contact the vet immediately, even if they are vaccinated. Parvo virus is another common infection to watch out for. Parvo can be contracted through direct contact with an infected dog, or infected feces, and can be very dangerous. Fortunately, through vaccination, good hygiene, and keeping young puppies away from other dogs, parvovirus may be effectively prevented.

Keeping family members safe is always a priority, and your furry family member is no different. Taking steps to prevent your pet from contracting various diseases and pests is extremely important for giving them a long and happy life in your family. Beyond this, protecting your pet can also help protect the human members of your family.