10 Important Tips to Help Your Dog Live Longer in Houston, Texas

Every dog owner wishes their dog could live forever. And as any vet in Houston TX. will say, a dog is a man’s best friend and should be part of your family.

However, even if you cannot produce or give your dog the elixir of the Fountain of Life, you can still do a few things to prolong Fido’s life.

Here are ten important tips to help your dog live longer in Houston:

Start with Your Vet in Houston

The cornerstone of helping your pet live a longer and healthier life is regular trips to an animal hospital in Houston, TX. Dogs age faster than humans. Vets in Houston TX are uniquely trained to swiftly detect changes in your dog’s health at the most treatable and earliest stages. This occurs via an extensive physical examination.

Moreover, your vet can easily recognize early warning signs of any degenerative or debilitating disease. This will help nip those diseases in the bud before becoming something major.

Engage Your Pet in Regular Exercise

Exercise is a crucial component that helps your pet stay in great shape. And this can contribute to prolonging your dog’s life.

Regular exercise helps increase endorphins, lower stress, and balance emotions and mood, both in people and dogs.

It helps your dog maintain a healthy muscle mass and weight. And it keeps your pet’s cardiovascular system sound, which contributes to your canine’s happiness.

Therefore, take your pet for long evening walks in order to prolong its life. Let your pet romp off-leash with another dog or two as socialization helps canines reduce stress and significantly improve your pet’s overall quality of life.

Get Your Pet Vaccinated on Time

It is always important to check in with your veterinarian so that your dog can get all the necessary vaccinations at appropriate stages in its life. Do not take any chances or skimp on your appointment with the vet.

Focus on a Healthy Diet

Do you know dogs that eat less actually live longer? A dog with a healthy weight will live a longer life. Of course, this is not to say you should drastically minimize your pooch’s caloric intake without talking to a veterinarian in Houston, TX.

Obese dogs are much more likely to develop debilitating joint problems like arthritis as well as heart disease.

Don’t feed your dog just any diet. Always research labels and do away with excess sodium, sugars, and generic meat byproducts. Feed your pet with whole ingredients while you find out what else you can do to prolong your dog’s sound health.

Keep Your Pooch’s Mind in Excellent Shape

Many dog owners focus on keeping their dog’s body in shape and forget how important it is to train their minds. Dogs always thrive or rely on mental stimulation in order to keep them happy.

Bored dogs can become anxious and depressed, and this can even make them fall ill. But you can take all these away or prevent their occurrence altogether by keeping your pet busy.

You can keep your dog’s mind active with socialization, training, one-on-one attention, as well as other enrichment activities as recommended by your vet in Houston, TX.

If you have to, please consider signing up for advanced obedience lessons, lure coursing, and dog sports. These added stimulations will help your dog thrive and increase the bond between you and your canine friend.

Always Brush Your Pet’s Teeth

Pet dental hygiene is one aspect of pet care that is often overlooked. Most dog owners forget to brush their canine companion’s teeth regularly.

Poor oral hygiene usually leads to gingivitis, plaque, and periodontal disease. The latter is a bacterial infection of the mouth that has been scientifically linked to organ damage and heart disease.

Keeping your pet’s chompers in excellent shape is not difficult. Brush your pet’s teeth using vet-recommended toothpaste from a Houston animal hospital. Get dental treats and safe chew toys to strengthen your dog’s teeth.

And do not forget to take your pet to the nearest Houston vet clinic for teeth checkups.

Don’t Skimp on Dog Supplements

Some dog supplements can also contribute to prolonging your dog’s health. Make sure you get the following supplements:

• Antioxidants

  These supplements destroy free radicals that cause aging. So, make sure your pet gets these supplements from time to time.

• Omega fatty acids

  Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids help prevent painful joints and reduce inflammation when they are young.

• Glucosamine

  This supplement slows down your dog’s aging by minimizing or eradicating inflammation in their joints.

• Probiotics

  These are good bacteria that help your pet to stay strong. You can get them from fresh horse manure, kefir, dog yogurt, etc.

These are some of the supplements that promote the soundness of health in any dog.

Groom Your Dog Every Day

Grooming helps make your dog feel very good and significantly reduces shedding. Daily brushing or combing also allows you to check for skin problems so that you can catch any small tumor or disease as early as possible.

Ensure Your Pet’s Bed is Comfortable

Make sure your dog’s bed is pretty comfortable. An uncomfortable bed can harm your pet’s joints. Joint problems can be challenging to pups and adult dogs alike. And deteriorating bones can result in an earlier demise.

Genetics

Believe it or not, the genetics of your dog determines whether or not your dog will live a prolonged and healthier life. If you want to bring in a pup, talk to a vet in an affordable pet clinic in Houston. The vet is in the best position to recommend dog breeds that have a record of living very long and healthy lives.

Conclusion

So, there you have it: the top 10 important tips to help your dog live longer in Houston, Texas. If you follow them strictly, your dog’s chances of living longer will be significantly improved.

However, if your pet shows any signs of sickness, do not hesitate to take your pooch to the Safari Veterinary Care Center. Our state-of-the-art facilities and well-trained vets are always on hand to deliver the best services.