Yes, pets can form bad health habits too...with the help of their pet parents, that is. The following are some habits that can easily be addressed to allow your pet to live its best, and longest, life possible.
Resist feeding table scraps
Offering table scraps to your pet while eating dinner can not only start your pet on the road to begging while you eat, it can also affect their nutritional intake. Pets should eat a well-balanced food designed specifically for pets. Diets made exclusively for your cat or dog are designed to include all the nutrients needed to benefit your pet at its particular life stage. The addition of feeding table scraps can disrupt this balance and can also lead to weight gain due to the excess calories your pet ingests on top of the normal amount of pet food they consume.
Preventing the couch potato pet
Pets need to be active. Exercise helps to prevent weight gain and keeping your pet active will also help to keep them mentally healthy by preventing boredom, stimulating their senses, and burning off energy. There is some truth to the saying “a tired dog is a happy dog.” When a pet is not encouraged to burn off extra energy, by being active, it can lead to negative behaviours like destructive chewing. Adding exercise to your pet’s life (going for a walk with your dog, throwing around the cat nip pillow for your cat) will also increase the bond you share with them as you interact more on a one-on-one basis with them.
Poor grooming is uncomfortable
Depending on the breed of pet you have, grooming requirements will differ. It is always important, regardless of the type or age of pet you have, to be aware of their grooming needs and keep up with them as best as you can. Poor grooming can lead to a very uncomfortable situation for your pet.
Nails should be trimmed on a regular basis. Overgrown nails can cause pain, difficulty walking, and infection should the nail grow around into the pad on the underside of the foot.
Brushing your cat or dog regularly will also help decrease the amount of mats they accumulate. Mats are tight balls of tangled fur that pull at the skin causing pain. Once the mats are formed they will need to be removed by shaving them out. Trying to brush some mats out can result in tearing the skin, which is painful, and can create an aversion to brushing as it is no longer an enjoyable experience.
Dental hygiene is a must
The one thing you don’t want to forget is dental hygiene for your pet. Lack of proper dental hygiene can lead to foul smelling breath, trouble chewing, and an infection that can affect the heart and lungs. Regular brushing and feeding your pet a dental diet can help to maintain your pet’s dental health, increasing their life span.
