He is a full member of the family. So, as such, your pet needs pampering. How to take care of the health of your cat or dog ? What do they need to feel good? Discover our advice to ensure our 4-legged friends have a long and healthy life.
Preserve the health of your animal by deworming and vaccination
The dewormer
Dewormers are medications that prevent the invasion of parasites in your pet ‘s intestines. Indeed, it often happens that dogs and cats consume living beings (fleas, rodents, slugs, etc.) that are potentially carriers of parasites. These are then likely to settle and develop in the intestinal tract of your animal in the form of worms. The health of your 4-legged friend can therefore be affected.
Vaccination of your pet
Unlike humans, for whom a list of mandatory vaccines has been drawn up by the health authorities, there is no obligation to have their dog or cat vaccinated (with the exception of category 1 and 2 dogs). who must be vaccinated against rabies).
However, veterinarians strongly recommend vaccinating the animal against certain common and contagious diseases which can have serious consequences on the health of the dog or cat.
Recommended vaccines:
- For a dog: distemper, leptospirosis, Rubarth’s hepatitis, viral gastroenteritis and piroplasmosis;
- For a cat: typhus, coryza and leucosis.
And rage?
This disease, which for a long time was the subject of compulsory vaccination in France, has now disappeared from France. This is why the anti-rabies vaccine is no longer an obligation since 2001. However, the risk of the disease reappearing on the territory through an imported animal remains present. Therefore, it is always strongly advised to vaccinate your dog or cat against rabies.
Protect your pet from parasites
Between fleas and ticks, our 4-legged friends are often victims of parasite invasion on their coat. These pests can quickly make life impossible for your pet (itching) and also affect the health of the cat or dog. They can indeed be carriers of diseases (e.g. Lyme disease). Protecting your dog and cat from external parasites is therefore important for its well-being.
To reduce the risk of an invasion of fleas and ticks, there are several antiparasitic solutions whose action can be insecticidal (in the event of the proven presence of parasites) or insect repellent (for preventive purposes to keep pests away):
- The flea or pest control collar;
- Shampoos;
- Pipettes;
- Sprays;
- Tablets.
The dog’s or cat’s habitat: a home to be treated
Taking measures to eliminate parasites from an animal’s coat is already a good thing. However, to prevent re-infestation, the environment must also be treated. To sanitize the habitat of the dog or cat, there are disinfectants in the form of sprays or diffusers for insecticide purposes.
Provide good hygiene for your pet
To take care of your pet, it is important to ensure that it maintains good hygiene. Indeed, at this level, dogs and cats are no different from humans. They sweat, get dirty, and their skin can be damaged by lack of care.
Dogs especially need to be bathed regularly for their well-being. The frequency of grooming will depend on the type of dog, the length of their hair and their lifestyle habits. Nevertheless, a monthly grooming or every 2 months is welcome without however exceeding more than one bath per month.
Moreover, animal care is not just about giving a bath to your animal. This is also the perfect time to take care of the different parts of his anatomy such as teeth, eyes, ears. What product to use? Complete ranges exist according to the type of animal and its breed. Many solutions, with adapted formats, are available to easily offer good hygiene to your animal even if it is reluctant. Finally, this time devoted to the care of his 4-legged friend is an opportunity to check that he is in good health (no injuries, good appearance of the skin and coat, etc.).
Adapt the diet to the profile of your cat or dog
An animal cannot eat everything and requires food adapted to its needs. Several parameters are taken into account to assess the quantity and type of food to be preferred. The main criteria are age and weight. Indeed, a puppy or kitten will need food that promotes its growth. On the other hand, an overweight adult animal will have to be fed a specific diet to prevent it from developing health problems.
Finally, our 4-legged friends can suffer from deficiencies. To overcome this, special food supplements for dogs and cats have been developed by veterinary laboratories. They provide them with the necessary nutrients to optimize their quality of life and ensure that they remain in good physical shape.
Preserve the mental and physical balance of your pet
A vital need to spend
To stay fit and healthy, pets are not so different from humans. They need to move and exercise. This is why it is advisable to ensure that dogs and cats exercise regularly.
For dogs, this can mean long walks in the great outdoors.
As for cats, they are often more solitary and lead their life outside in complete autonomy. However, some cats can be very homebodies and may not move from the house. Sometimes, the lifestyle of the master does not allow the cat to go out alone (dwelling on a high floor for example). In this case, you can absolutely provide him with equipment so that he can exert himself indoors, such as a cat tree, an ideal accessory to allow the feline to jump and scratch without danger.
A stress to evacuate?
Depending on the period and the character of the animal, it can happen that the latter is stressed. In this case, this can result in different behaviors such as aggressiveness, hyperactivity, excessive sweating, sleep or eating disorders, etc. Faced with these behaviors, we can feel helpless and ask ourselves many questions. To remedy the situation and allow the animal to regain mental balance, there are anti-stress food supplements in the form of pellets or tablets.
A pet needs regular care to stay healthy. And because his mental balance is also a guarantee of good health, he needs to be pampered with signs of attention and affection. Nothing like a little daily hug to make him feel loved!
The three key points to remember when taking care of your pet:
- Dogs and cats are regular targets of parasites. Specific care such as antiparasitic products or deworming helps prevent these pests from ruining their lives;
- To stay healthy on all levels, pets are like human beings, they need a healthy lifestyle in the form of a varied and balanced diet and regular physical activity;
- Vaccinations are not mandatory for all dogs and cats. However, they are strongly recommended by veterinarians to protect them.