Not only is a dog a man’s best friend, but your dog can also become part of your family and the thought of losing them can be a devastating prospect. As we care so much about our canine friends, it is important to us that we maintain our dog’s good health, so that we can keep them in our lives for as long as possible.
There is a considerable amount of discrepancy about what are the best ways to keep our dogs healthy, which can make caring for our pets a confusing and complicated time. However, it is important that you try to improve our dog’s health wherever possible and make positive changes to their lifestyle if you are at all concerned. It is essential that you listen to how your dog behaves and if they show any signs of poor health, you take them to the vets and make any necessary changes.
Although it can be difficult to know where to start when trying to improve your dog’s health, here are seven easy ways that can really make a difference.
Daily Walks
Daily walks are an essential part of your dog’s life and are crucial to their healthy lifestyle. Not only are daily walks a great way to include exercise into your dog’s everyday life, but it can be a great way for your dog to have some playtime in the outdoors as well. Similar to people, if you spent all day everyday sleeping around the house, only moving for food, then 
you wouldn’t be healthy or feeling that great. So, this also applies to your dog.
It is unrealistic to take your dog out on a three-mile walk every day, but a daily walk is an essential part of being a dog-owner. You can make walking the dog a family activity as well. You can walk your dog to the park with your kids so they can enjoy time in the outdoors too. By walking your dog daily, you are also ensuring that you get some exercise on a regular basis as well!
Look at What They Are Eating
It can be very easy to fall into bad patterns of feeding your dog leftovers or foods you know they shouldn’t have. However, this can dramatically impact their health. It can be difficult to know what to feed your dog when there is a lot of controversies over which types of food are healthiest for our canines. But the consensus argues that dogs require a balanced diet that contains healthy fats, limited carbohydrates, and protein. Even though there is some debate on whether these properties are best found in canned dog foods or homemade 
meals.
Although every dog is different, it is important that you keep a note of the types of foods that do not seem to agree with your dog, so that you know which foods are best for their diet. Hypoallergenic dog food has become increasingly popular in recent years, as it free from common allergens that can upset your dog’s stomach, as well as irritating their skin and coat. More information on the nutrition content of hypoallergic dog food can be found at fish4dogs.com.
Go for Regular Check-Ups
It is important that you keep up to date with your dog’s veterinary appointments. Your vet will know immediately if there are any changes to your dog’s health and will be able to 
advise the best way to treat him. Certain health problems will only be picked up on when your dog visits the vets, so it is essential that you go, no matter how much your dog may not like it. if you are worried about the cost of veterinary appointments, it may be helpful for you to look at pet insurance options.
Improve Dental Health
Your dog’s dental health is just as important as its physical health. Just like with us, we can neglect our dog’s dental hygiene, but this can lead to all kinds of health concerns later. As well as causing tooth decay, pain, gum disease, and infections, poor dental health can 
cause heart disease and abscesses that can be life-threatening for our dogs. Your dog can get their teeth and gums checked at the vets but brushing their teeth and giving them oral hygiene food can improve their dental health. Ask your veterinarian for tips on how to help your dog’s oral health.
Check Their Joints
Dogs are not generally kind to their own bodies and can spend most of their day jumping, running, and scratching. This can put extreme pressure of their bones and joints, which can result in damaged joints and even lead to dog arthritis. Yes, dogs can get arthritis too! 
Don’t assume that painful joints are only a problem for older dogs. Because dogs do not live for as long as we do, often you can find that younger dogs can also suffer from bone and joint problems. You should avoid feeding your dog foods that are known to contribute to inflammation and you could consider giving them additional nutritional supplements to promote their mobility.
Keep Them Hydrated
Just like us, dogs need water in order to stay hydrated and to stay healthy. However, unlike us, dogs are unable to tell us that they are thirsty and are totally reliant on us as their owners to keep them provided with water. It is also our responsibility to ensure that our 
dog’s water does not sit around for long periods of time and then turn stale. Fresh water should be available for your dog around every two hours in order to avoid any contamination. There are also some moisture-rich dog foods that you can buy that may help to keep your dog hydrated.
Keep an Eye Out for Fleas and Ticks
Fleas and ticks can be very stubborn to get rid of, but they can make a lot of dogs very sick. They can carry many viruses that target your dog’s immune system. Therefore, it is essential that you try to treat them as soon as they appear. Fleas can cause allergic dermatitis and often tapeworm infections, whereas ticks are known to give dogs Lyme disease, which can cause fever, loss of appetite, swollen joints, pain, and even kidney failure. However, they can be treated with antibiotics when the disease is discovered early.
If you have any worries that your dog may have fleas or ticks, it is important that you seek advice immediately. If you are unsure of how best to treat your dog, then make an appointment with your veterinary practice.
Being a dog owner is not always easy and convenient. Often, it can be very complicated and difficult to know what to do for the best when it comes to your dog’s health. There are different sources of help and advice that you can reach out to, including animal charities and your veterinarian. All dogs are different, so have different needs. So, if you have more than one dog, ensure that you don’t just automatically give them the same health treatments. Although, ultimately, it is important that your pooch is happy and well-cared for in a safe and loving environment first and foremost.
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