Keeping an eye on your dog’s mood and demeanor as well as carrying out simple dog health checks on a regular basis will enable you to monitor his state of health. Some dogs are more social than others and will put up with considerable discomfort and pain before their owners realize something is wrong. This is why it’s so essential to check your dog health thoroughly every day for any unusual lumps and sore spots. Check his eyes and mouth for foreign bodies or any sign of inflammation, and watch for irregularities in behavior, eating and exercise.
Dog Health Control: Getting Rid of Parasites
Dogs can suffer from a variety of external and internal parasites, including fleas, mites, lice, fungal infections, ticks and worms – all of which cause ill health. A wide variety of preparations designed to treat parasites are available to buy from supermarkets and pet stores, but they are not as effective as those which are available on prescription from your vet. You must also treat other pets in the house, and the house itself, with treatments, or re-infestation will occur immediately. Vacuum-clean carpets and the place where your dog sleeps regularly, and wash your pet’s bedding weekly or so to destroy flea eggs.
Intestinal worms like roundworm and tapeworm are most efficiently controlled by an all-in-one treatment prescribed by your vet. Deworming products available from vets come in granule, pull liquid or paste form.
Dog Health Control: Getting Rid of Fleas and Ticks
Fleas bite the dog’s skin in order to feed off their blood, with the resulting bites causing intense itching that can lead to severe dermatitis. Heavy flea infestation can cause anaemia, leading to death if left untreated.
Ticks are blood-sucking parasites that cause itchiness, infection and even paralysis in some countries. Never try to pull a tick off the skin or its head may be left embedded, which will lead to infection.
There are various products options for flea and tick control and prevention available from vets, compromising sprays which are effective for up to three months, spot-ons, and pills.
