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When we bring the canine friend to our place, it becomes our responsibility to care for them. We want to do everything in our power to keep them healthy and their vitals in check. These include doing everyday activities that stimulate their mind and body. I have curated a list of care and tips that you can bring into your life for a lifetime of health and happiness.

Veterinarian visits

Deciding on a good vet is the number one job that every pet owner should do their research on as routined and scheduled visits to the veterinarian count for the most important things for a pet. As animals, dogs and cats especially have relatively shorter life spans than humans. They need to get checked more often to create medical history and know of any upcoming problems. 

However, cats often have a hard time leaving their place and can become somewhat aggressive, which is why it might be necessary to familiarize them with their kennels. Once they are comfortable, you will not struggle so much while traveling with cats. As for dogs, they love car riding and are particularly fond of it, which means less fuss when visiting the vet or any other place. In any case, a friendly vet who knows their way around pets goes a long way.

Vaccinations 

An essential component of pet care is getting all the required vaccinations. As soon as you welcome a new pet to your place, it is indispensable to get them vaccinated for your pet well-being and for our own. The vet usually sets up an immunization record for your dog and cats. In order to protect the dogs and cats from excessive hair shedding, bordetella (kennel cough), and rabies (the law requires this as it can be contagious to human beings), Lyme disease, and distemper. On the other hand, Cats require vaccinations to protect them from herpes, leukemia, and rabies. Overall, getting vaccinated is just as big of a necessity for your pets as it is for your kid. If you adopt senior pets, it`s still just as necessary.

Get them a Name Tag

Most cats and dogs are run away by nature which makes it all the easier to get lost when outdoors. Especially with pups and newborn kittens, the severity of watching them over all the time becomes more serious. Most pets lose their way once they are out. Roughly about 14% of the pets don`t even find their way back. Putting a collar and a name goes a long way in not only getting them home safe. But due to microchip collars, you can even track where they are heading.

In addition to tags, you can always have a microchip inserted in your pets to keep track. These are essentially unharmful even though title tags can be taken. Microchips are underneath the skin, making it difficult to locate for others. However, vets can easily insert and remove microchips.

Neutering

Over 10 million pets end up in US shelters every year. Some of them are lost, while most are homeless. People have different opinions about neutering. Some are of the view that it falls under animal cruelty. In contrast, others believe it is okay to do so since it prevents them from complicated pregnancies and reduces the number of homeless animals to take care of. Since unwanted pregnancies, in any case, can be a host of problems, especially for pet parents. It reduces the chances of cervical/ovarian cancer in cats. Spaying (removal of the uterus) can impact your cats` behavior, in result causing them to not search for potential mates and making them less aggressive by nature. Whereas in dogs, it reduces the aggression and chances of testicular cancer. 

Optimum Nourishment

Pet owners need to understand that there are different breeds of pets. Each type of breed requires different kinds of nourishment, and the same is the case with how old pets are. Pets in their growing age need food that`s enriched with protein and omega-three acids. On the other hand, older pets need food enriched with microfibers for better digestion. It is better to consult your vet before deciding on a diet.

At home Hygiene

Just like you would bathe the kids, take care of their environment and keep in check of their overall actions. The same is the case with the pets you bring in. They need proper dental hygiene and continuous combing of their fur/coats to prevent the hair from getting tangled. Trimming nails to avoid sharp cuts. It is better to make a schedule and stick to it. If you have just put certain items on calendars to avoid forgetting these daily hygienic tasks.

Safe Environment 

An environment that nourishes and prospers our pets is necessary. It means playing games with your pet, getting toys that will make them work for it and are also fun and useful for their physical stimulation. Going out on walks and playing fetch in the park for outdoorsy dogs is one way to bond with them. Not doing so and providing an undernourished environment for your dogs and cats can cause behavioral problems.

Refrain from giving medications

Flu, coughs, or mild fever or cold flux might make all of this go away for you, but that`s not the case with your pets. It`s not your usual run of the park. Often pet owners mistake the physical features of illness in pets and start treating them with medication that works well on human beings. In 2010 ASPCA included human medication in the list of pet toxins. It is better to reach out to a vet in any case, especially when you are doubtful whether your pets have consumed any of the human medications.

Proper car seats

Pets and babies are similar to one another in more than one way. Riding with your pets in the passenger seats puts them in more danger than one might think, especially In the case of deployment of airbags. 

Even though dogs like to stick their tongue out of the car window and might enjoy it as well, it makes them lost in their thoughts, but it can result in them being thrown out of the vehicle in case of an accident. 

As for cats, there is nothing to be worried about as long as you have a cat carrier. Make sure to put the carrier in the back seat and with a special harness to keep it in place.

Pet quarters

Setting up a cradle and assigning a room to teen kids mean that they have a place of privacy at home. Similarly, your pets need a place of their own to snuggle and just lie down. A place to sleep gives their body rest. Ensuring quality beds and keeping the seasonal changes in mind, be mindful of the places you choose in the house for your pets. Move the quarters to colder locations in summer and cozy it with a blanket in winter.

These tips are applicable for the lifetime of your pets. The earlier you get used to these tips, the better it is going to result for you and your pets.