Spring Care Tips For Your Dog
Posted on: 28 April 2020
When the seasons change and the weather starts to warm up, you may find yourself wondering if there is anything you can and should do for your dog and their care. There are numerous steps you can and should take to care for your dog in the spring months. Learn about some of the ways you can and should care for your dog this spring. Then, you can be sure your dog care routine maximizes the health and well-being of your dog.
Have a Checkup
Every year, your dog should have just a standard examination and checkup with their veterinarian, and spring is the perfect time to do it. They will get weighed, have their temperature taken, have their heart listened to, and may even have bloodwork run to ensure that your dog is as healthy as possible.
Annual wellness exams for dogs are very important, especially as your dog gets older. These exams can pick up any underlying health conditions your dog may have and help you to get them treated early so they have minimal negative effects on your dog. Checkups will also give you peace of mind that your dog is as healthy as possible going forward into the year.
Get Heartworm Testing Done
Another dog care step you should take while at the veterinarian's office is to have your dog tested for heartworms. Heartworms are small worms transmitted through mosquito bites that get into the bloodstream and eventually to the heart where they grow and multiply in dogs. They can be very difficult to treat and can be deadly if not dealt with.
Every year, you need to get your dog tested for heartworms so that they can continue or begin to take their heartworm preventive treatments, and spring is the time that those mosquitoes come back out to bite in most areas. As such, when you are already at the vet's office for a spring checkup, you may as well get the heartworm testing done too.
Get Them on Flea and Tick Preventative
If you do not have to worry about fleas and ticks year-round in your home environment, spring is the time to get your dog back on their flea and tick preventative treatments. These treatments come in a variety of options.
You can choose a topical treatment that you can get at any pet store. These are applied between the shoulders and at the base of the tail and soak into the skin. Alternatively, there are prescription oral medications for flea and tick prevention that you can use. You get those from your veterinarian's office and each chewable lasts anywhere from one to three months.
Now that you know a few of the ways you can best care for your dog in the spring, you can be sure you schedule your veterinarian's appointment as soon as possible.
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