New Years Resolution for Your Pet

The arrival of a new year is a time to make resolutions, and in 2004, your pet’s health should be one of them. So I want all of you to stand up, raise your right hand, and repeat after me:

1. I resolve to have my pet examined by a veterinarian at least once a year. A pet going to the vet once a year is like a human going to the doctor once every 4-5 years. And annual exams are not just an important part of keeping your dog or cat healthy, but they are even more important for your bird, reptile, rabbit or other exotic pet. Most people can tell when their dog or cat is sick, but many have no idea how bad off their parrot or lizard is until it is too late.
2. I resolve to have my dog tested for heartworms, and to keep it on heartworm preventative. Do you realize that you can buy 8-10 years worth of heartworm preventative for what it would cost you to put your dog through one heartworm treatment? And you can’t undo the damage they do to the dog’s heart. Come on, you live in the Mid-South. This is heartworm central! The mosquito is the Tennessee State Bird. Don’t miss a dose.
3. I resolve to have my pet checked for parasites. And by parasites, I don’t just mean fleas and ticks, but also worms, protozoa, mange, earmites, etc. Not only will this keep your pet healthy, it will keep you and your family healthy, too. Most people don’t realize that a lot of the parasites that their pets carry are also infectious to humans.
4. I resolve to discuss my pet’s vaccination needs with my veterinarian, and make sure that it is adequately protected against infectious diseases. Vaccinations are probably the least important aspect of your pet’s annual veterinary visit, but they are still very important nonetheless. Rabies is the only vaccine required by law for dogs, cats and ferrets, but there are many others that should be used for pets that are at risk. Depending on where you live, how much time your pet spends outdoors, your pet’s contact with other animals, and other risk factors, you and your vet can assemble a vaccine protocol that is tailored to your pet’s needs.
5. I resolve to feed my pet dog or cat a high-quality name-brand pet food, and to limit (or stop altogether) the feeding of table scraps or other junk food. Enough said. Let’s move along.
6. I resolve to take better care of my pet’s teeth. Look at them occasionally, and if they are funky, talk to your vet about getting them cleaned! Otherwise, start a regular plan of dental prophylaxis. Brushing your pet’s teeth is only one of many options in today’s dental care market. And dental disease is a lot like heartworm disease: it is much cheaper and healthier to prevent it than it is to treat it.
7. I resolve to bathe my dog more frequently. Your dog will feel better. Your dog will smell better. Your house will smell better. Your spouse will thank you. Your next door neighbor will probably thank you, too.
8. And finally, I resolve to spend more time with my pet. That’s why you have a pet, isn’t it? Love, companionship, the human-animal bond. Don’t sentence your dog to the backyard or your bird to its cage. Don’t think of your cat as a fixture. Human interaction keeps a pet psychologically and emotionally healthy, and that helps keep a pet physically healthy. And studies have shown that human-pet interaction keeps people healthier, too. So resolve this year to keep yourself healthier by keeping your pet healthier, and you both will have a great year.