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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

A Healthy Dog is a Happy Dog!

A healthy dog is a happy dog. And a happy dog is the best companion anyone could wish for. Unlike people, dogs can't figure out when something is wrong, or tell you about it. It's your job as the owner to look out for problems and step in quick to keep your hound happy. Illness doesn't just mean breaks, parasites or viruses, it include the scourge of humanity too - obesity. Just like in humans, obesity in dogs can lead to arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and premature death. Also like in humans, this is a recent development. The availability of cheap food for pets has caused an obesity spiral in the developed world.

So what should you feed your dog? Obviously, breed plays a part, but in general, kibble is the best base (dried dog food) with tinned stuff as a treat. Too much tinned stuff can give your poor pooch the runs! Don't feed him human cakes biscuits and the like, no matter how much he seems to enjoy them - dog's digestive systems are not designed for this kind of food! A diet based on these principle will ensure a shiny coat and clear eyes, both necessary if your dog is going to win thru to the finals of the http://www.petmillions.com contest and a chance to win you a million in cash!

Dental care. Dogbreath is a byword for bad smelling breath. Help your dog keep his teeth and gums healthy by offering him bones to chew (note - NEVER chicken bones!). If it's a real bad case, there are even special 'doggy tooth cleaner' products available at the store.

Worms. Keep him healthy with regular shots against the 4 biggies - distemper, heartworm, parvovirus (which is rare, but fatal!!!) and kennel cough (which is also rare unless you keep the dog out on cement all the time). You can do the worming routine yourself - crush the tablets and sprinkle them onto some tinned food. He WILL be able to smell it, but what the hey, food is food, right? Woof! Only use a small amount of tinned food to ensure he eats all the tablet powder. Don't know what distemper is? Kind of like dog flu, with runny nose and eyes. Worms tend to cause lack of appetite, bad coat, and a tendency to drag his backside along the ground. These are easily passed to humans so fix it fast!

That brings us to fleas and ticks. Treat regularly with one of the many excellent 'dropper' products now available. They really work, and fast too. Ticks can be a nightmare - they can cause swelling, then paralysis and death, so you have to guard against them very carefully, especially if you live in an area prone to dog ticks.

That's my routine with Jess, now be a pal, willya, and vote for him at http://petmillions.com! His ID is 3083, and it's free to vote!

Brendan Gunstan is an IT consultant, who passes the really difficult tasks onto his 12 year old crossbreed Jess.