There are so many simple things you could do to keep your pet healthy, really!
Foreign Bodies
- Keep the living and play area clear of objects with potential to become ingested and cause trouble
- Use muzzles or collars outdoors if your dog is hell bent on scavenging
- Suspect everything, especially sticks, stones, gravel, bones, dead bits of animals, man-made objects, garden chemicals.
Superficial Injuries
- Do not allow your pet to lick their wounds. This sounds counter-intuitive but they can infect the wound, make it larger and become obsessive and do more harm than good
- Apply an Elizabethan collar (a “lampshade”, hood or a buster-collar)
- Wash with salt water made of 10 teaspoons of salt in a pint of water.
Stay Slim
- This is key to avoiding lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and pancreatitis as well as orthopaedic conditions
- Do not believe what is written on dog food containers and bags – trust only your fingers and your scales
- You should be able to feel the ribs easily without a layer of fat in between
- There should be a distinct waistline and the tummy should remain tucked up throughout
- If you feed treats reduce the ordinary meals accordingly
- Avoid feeding leftovers on top of ordinary meals especially ones which are fatty or gristly.
