At HighPoint apartments we love your pet as much as you do and proper care can depend on many factors. From proper nutrition and exercise to grooming and mental stimulation, these tips will help keep your dog or cat feeling pawsitively healthy.
1. Proper nutrition
Your pet’s health starts from the inside out and therefore proper nutrition can have a big impact on your pets overall health. Feeding them the correct amount and type of food, based on their individual needs, can extend their lifespan and prevent excessive weight gain. Your pet’s food is not always a one size fits all and therefore they might also require some additional supplements, such as omega 3 for excessively dry and itchy skin. Ensuring that your pet has constant access to fresh water is also an important part in meeting your pet’s dietary needs.
2. Exercise
So you’ve noticed some unwanted behaviors such as chewing your favorite slippers or exploding pillows and although you feel like you’re at your wits end, these are all behaviors related to boredom or a lack of exercise. Taking your pet for regular walks and playing fetch, gives them an opportunity to use up all of their pent-up energy and helps keep them physically fit. The nearby nature trail offers plenty of space and smells to help stimulate your dog’s senses and explore the surrounding area. Providing the proper toys for chewing and playing can also prevent boredom and redirect your pet from destroying personal belongings.
3. Regular checkups
They might not enjoy it but your pet needs regular health checkups at the veterinarian, as a way of detecting early warning signs of serious illnesses. Taking your pet to the vet is also a way of getting preventative care against unwanted health issues, such as heartworm or tick and flea-related diseases, which are most common.
4. Grooming
Grooming your pet can often seem highly overrated, however it plays an important role in ensuring your pet’s overall health. Depending on the dog or cat breed, grooming can be as simple as keeping their nails trimmed and giving them a bath regularly. However, some breeds require their hair to be trimmed to prevent clumping and overheating in the sun. Keeping your pet’s nails trimmed will not only save your floorboards from being scratched but can also prevent your pet from being injured, resulting in unwanted vet bills. While grooming your pet, you are also able to detect any changes in your pets health, such as excessive dry skin or any lumps or bumps that might require medical attention.
5. Socialization
Socialization is another important factor to consider when taking your pet’s overall health into consideration. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, “Early socialization and appropriate exposure to various people and situations at a young age decreases the odds of antisocial or fearfully aggressive behaviors as an adult.” Therefore, in order to help socialize your pet, it’s important to expose them to various people and other pets, by taking them on walks; going to visit family or friends; going to dog parks; or taking them with to the pet store to pick a toy or treat.
As a part of helping your pet feel at home here at HighPoint, we look forward to introducing our new dog park, which will contribute towards your pets overall health, by creating opportunities for exercise as well as socializing right on your doorstep.
