Having a pet in your house is indeed an experience in itself. It could be rewarding as pets can give you a pleasing company and make you feel relaxed. However, bringing a pet home is a huge responsibility as you’ll have to give them the best pet care.
That furry little friend will be dependent on you, and as he or she cannot speak in words like humans, you’ll have to be extra observant in meeting your pet’s care needs.
Before bringing a pet home, you need to understand whether you are mentally & emotionally ready to devote time to pet care. Every animal will have its specific care and maintenance needs. Caring for pets may, at times, be quite stressful, time-consuming, and expensive. So, ask yourself whether you are ready for all that!
Different Aspects of Pet Care
Caring for a pet encompasses a vast array of care domains, as discussed below:
Food and Nutrition
The health and well being of a pet depends much on the kind of food you give your pet. The food you provide should be rich in nutrients and should animal-specific & breed-specific. Secondly, your pet should never be underfed or overfed. Underfeeding may lead to ill health, weak immunity, and nutritional deficiencies in your four-legged companion, while overfeeding may cause digestion issues.
Talk to the local veterinarian about the foods you can feed your pet and ask about the right portions/quantities as well. If you love to share your food with your pet, you need to be extra cautious as some human foods could make your pet sick.
Food items such as coffee, chocolates, raisins, garlic, onion, chives, avocados, macadamia nuts, salt, milk, grapes, raw bones, raw eggs, alcohol should never be given to your pet.
Medical Checkups & Veterinary Care
Pets cannot verbally communicate their discomforts to you. Thus, taking the pet for routine medical checkups to a good veterinary doctor at least twice a month is crucial. This will let you rule out the possibility of any underlying issue that your pet might be suffering from. Routine medical checkups can also save your pocket through the early detection of diseases.
If your pet’s illness or complication is detected early, that might save you from expensive treatments and surgeries later. Medical checkups can also help you understand your pet’s mental state and bring it out of its emotional distress if any.
Hydration
Hydration is vital for pets. Your pet should drink enough water all through the day to avoid issues like Urinary Tract Infections. So, check your pet’s water bowl from time to time. Make sure your pet gets an adequate supply of water, and its hydration needs are aptly met.
Vaccinations
Taking the pet for its routine shots is very important. Vaccination is the best way to immune your pet against dangerous diseases such as Feline infectious enteritis (in case of Dogs), Infectious canine hepatitis (in case of dogs), Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (in case of Rabbits), and the like. Talk to your vet regarding the vaccine your pet needs. Timely vaccination can make your loving pet live long!
Cleaning and Washing
Your pet needs proper cleaning and washing. Shampooing the pet with mild pet shampoo twice or thrice a week is ideal. Don’t use fragrant shampoos as that might irritate the pet’s skin and may cause allergy breakout. Using lukewarm water during the pet’s bath is advised. You would need bath supplies like a hose and a big tub.
Bathing the pet and keeping it clean can prevent infections and keep issues like itching and dander at bay. While washing and cleaning, make sure to check between the folds and amid the fur of the pet for dirt and grime. The paws too need to be paid attention.
Grooming
Your pet needs grooming. A well-groomed pet looks healthy and adorable and is loved by all. Grooming is crucial to a pet’s overall well being. Grooming should be a part of regular pet care and should include tasks such as clipping the pet’s nails, brushing the pet’s coat, scrubbing scales away from the pet’s body, brushing the pet’s teeth, etc.
Pet Safety
Your pet may not understand signs of imminent danger and may fall prey to troubles unknowingly. So, you have to keep your pet safe. Keep your pet within fences if there’s a deep water body nearby like a pond or well.
Also, never keep any sharp object like a knife, nails, etc. around the pet. Your pet may injure himself/herself. Never keep any poisonous substance like weed killers, etc. around the pet. It may ingest accidentally and fall sick.
Comfortable Quarters
Your pet’s shelter should be relaxed. Make sure to use insulating materials for your pet’s home. The materials you use should keep your pet away from the sun’s harsh heat during the summer months and severe cold during the winter months. Also, make sure to place a well-cushioned mattress within the pet’s home to allow the pet to rest comfortably.
Pet Dental Care
Oral hygiene and a healthy mouth are a part of your pet’s general well being. So make sure you brush your pet’s teeth regularly with a pet-specific toothpaste and toothbrush. Regular brushing of pet’s teeth and flossing of pet’s tongue can keep dental issues like tartar, carries, teeth discoloration, and bad breath at bay.
Pet Exercising
Giving your pet scope to exercise and taking your pet for regular walks can provide your pet with strong bones and muscles. Also, exercising can boost your pet’s digestion power and check behavioral issues in your pet, such as violence, aggression, etc.
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