Caring For the Health of a Dog

1. Make sure you have a good, reliable veterinarian. A good way to choose a vet is to see if he or she answers your questions promptly and knowledgeably and to see how they interact with your pet. You will need to bring your dog for regular check-ups, so if your vet is too booked up you may want to look for a new one. Feel free to change veterinarians even after you take your dog to one.[5]
Remember, you should also know of an emergency vet that's open 24 hours a day and on weekends.

2.Get your dog vaccinated. Your veterinarian will advise you as to which diseases are common in the area and so which diseases it is necessary to vaccinate against. Typically, vaccinations are kept up to date with regular booster injections, which may either be yearly or three-yearly, depending on the disease.
Most states require you to vaccinate the dog against rabies. Even if this isn't a legal requirement, it is a good idea in order to protect your pet (and you) from this deadly disease.

3. Consider fitting the dog with an ID chip. This is a small microchip that is injected under the skin over the shoulder blades. Each chip has a unique number that is registered on a data base with your contact details. In the event of the pet being lost or stolen, the chip is a means of matching you with the dog and proving your ownership.[6]

4. Use regular parasite preventative treatments. It important to treat regularly with basic worming against roundworms. Exactly how often depends on your pet's lifestyle. An indoor dog is at lower risk than a hunting dog of picking up worms, and this will influence your vet's advice about how often to deworm. A low risk dog may only need a round worming treatment two or three times a year, whereas a high risk dog may need monthly treatments.
Also consider other risks such as heartworm.
Also use flea preventative treatments and, if you live in a tick area, use a product that also kills ticks.

5. Desex your dog. This reduces the risk of certain health disorders, such as mammary cancer (if spey performed before the second season) and pyometra (pus in the womb) in females, and aggression and prostatic disease in the male. It is also the responsible thing to do, as it reduces the problem of accidental breeding and pet overpopulation.[7]

6. Get pet health insurance. If you would struggle to meet the cost of veterinary treatment then take out a pet insurance policy. In exchange for a monthly premium, if the pet is sick or injured the insurance company will cover the majority of the costs involved up to a certain limit. The exact nature of policies and the amount they cover varies widely.

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