If you’re a new pet parent, you may not be familiar with all of the pet issues that could arise. While you don’t want to focus on possible issues, it’s good to be familiar with common pet health problems so that you can avoid them whenever possible. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for:
Obesity
If you see your pet gaining weight, you will want to consider talking with your vet. While a little extra weight on your cat or dog may be cute and not too much cause for concern, too much excess weight is something to avoid.
You may want to consider talking to your vet about things you can do to help your pet lose weight. From diets to more activity, just like with humans, there are ways to improve your animal’s health through weight management. While they may look adorable when obese, your pet’s health could be affected by excess weight so do try to make necessary changes to improve their health and quality of life.
Ear infections
Your pet may itch their ears a lot and unfortunately, a lot of pets do deal with ear infections. While you could just look for dog medication online, it could be better to visit your vet and have a close look at what’s going on with them.
Ear infections can be due to a number of things, so you want to rule out serious problems while also making sure to manage their issue and the underlying cause. Ear infections that are left untreated can lead to more serious problems, so it’s important to get it checked out.
Stomach problems
Diarrhea and vomiting are not always cause for concern, but if your dog seems to have upset bowel movements and stomach discomfort regularly, they could benefit from a vet visit. When they show signs of stomach discomfort, instead of rushing to the vet, take time to monitor their symptoms.
Sometimes they get better quickly while at other times, you may need to rule out some bigger problems. It could be a dietary issue that needs treatment, or you may discover they have a blockage in their stomach. While you don’t want to give into alarm, persistent stomach issues shouldn’t be ignored.
Dental decay
Pet parents aren’t always the best with their pet’s teeth brushing. It can be hard to stay on top of it, especially because not every pet makes it easy for you to clean their teeth. So, this is something that you’ll want to keep an eye on. While not a fun thing to do as they typically have to go under anesthesia, and schedule dental cleanings.
Dental decay can lead to sickness and just isn’t fun for your pet, so do your best to avoid it. There are plenty of dog and cat dental products that you can invest in if you want to stay on top of their dental care.
Heart issues
As a pet parent, you want the best for your pet. Unfortunately, some things are just hard to avoid, such as heart issues that they’re born with. With that said, even if your pet has heart problems, there are ways to manage their health, much like we do as humans with health problems. A good pet insurance can provide you with peace of mind and make it easier for you to navigate your health needs without worrying about the cost. While knowing that your animal has problems isn’t fun, doing what you can to improve their well-being will make a difference.
In Conclusion
We all want healthy pets but sometimes things happen and it’s important to be aware of health issues that animals often deal with. Hopefully, your pet stays as healthy as can be, but with these problems in mind, you can do your best to seek treatment when needed and avoid issues down the road.