When it comes to giving unconditional love, pet owners know their pets win hands down. In return, we offer companionship along with food, shelter and safety. For their own good, this means keeping our pets free from illness or injury.

This article provides an overview of how to keep your pet happy and healthy. For more detailed information, use the search engine to find the appropriate articles on specific topics.

Contagious Diseases

The best and easiest way to prevent a variety of common and contagious diseases is to have your pet vaccinated within their first few months of life. Periodic boosters and regularly scheduled checkups will further reduce the chance of contracting many diseases.

Parasites

Regular checkups should include periodic fecal examinations to detect any intestinal parasites. If any are found, your veterinarian will help deworm your pet and keep him worm-free.

Your veterinarian can also help prevent heartworms. Adult worms live in lung arteries and the chambers of the heart, which can damage the heart muscle and interfere with their function. Routine administration of preventative medication can prevent infection.

Fleas and ticks, the bane of animals since the beginning of time, can also be prevented with appropriate insecticides routinely administered to your pet.

Nutritional Disorders

Feeding a good quality pet food can prevent many nutritional disorders. Table scraps should be avoided, no matter how much your dog begs. Regular exercise will help reduce the chance of obesity and associated disorders. As your pet gets older, you should talk with your veterinarian about how to adjust his diet to match a slowing metabolism.

Reproductive Disorders

Almost all reproductive disorders, including some types of cancer, can be avoided with early spaying or neutering. This can also reduce the chance of your pet developing certain behavioral disorders. All uterine, ovarian and testicular diseases will be prevented if these organs are no longer present.

Toxicity

Preventing toxicities is easily done if you make certain that all potentially toxic items are safely and securely stored away from your pet. Always walk your dog on a leash. This will prevent ingestion of many different toxic substances found in the environment.

Trauma

Accidents do happen, so no matter how well you take care of your pet, you may still need a trip to the veterinarian. But you can greatly reduce the chances of an accident by a few simple actions.

Don't let your dog roam. Leash-walk or only allow them to run in a fenced-in yard.

Besides keeping them safe from physical hazards like other animals or vehicles, your pets will not be in danger of being picked up by a municipal animal officer. Thousands of pets are euthanized each year at shelters because they have gotten lost and had no identification showing they belonged to someone.