Keeping your dog healthy takes more than just daily feeding and exercise. To be healthy, dogs require regular veterinary checkups, grooming, and a safe home environment.
How Often Should My Dog See a Veterinarian?
Adult dogs: At least once a year for a full checkup.
Puppies: Every 3 to 4 weeks until 4 months old.
Senior dogs (over 7–8 years old): Twice a year or more. Because older dogs are more likely to get sick, they need to see the vet more often. Your vet might suggest blood tests or x-rays to catch health issues early.
How Can I Tell If My Dog Is Sick?
Your dog might be sick if it is:
not eating
less active
vomiting or having diarrhea
urinating either more or less often than usual
coughing or sneezing
oozing fluid or mucus from its eyes, ears, or nose
losing hair, seems excessively itchy, or develops red spots on the skin
limping or not putting weight on a leg
If your dog shows any of these signs for more than a day or two, it’s a good idea to schedule a vet visit.
How Do I Give My Dog Medicine?
Pills:You can hide the pill in a piece of cheese, some peanut butter, or a pill pouch treat. Sometimes, gently holding your dog’s mouth closed until it swallows the pill can help.
Liquid medicine: Use a syringe to squirt the medicine into the back of your dog's mouth, aiming near the back teeth. Keep your dog's head tilted slightly up to avoid spills.
Topical medicine: Apply directly to your dog's skin or coat (at the top of the neck so your dog can't lick it). For eye drops or ear medicine, ask your vet to show you what to do.
Always read and follow the instructions on the medicine's label.
Administering liquid medicine to a dog
Does My Dog Need Vaccines?
Vaccines help protect your dog from serious diseases. Core vaccines recommended by nearly all veterinarians prevent illnesses like distemper, parvovirus, and rabies. Vaccines for other illnesses, such as Lyme disease or Bordetella infection, are important in certain areas. Your vet will tell you which vaccines your dog needs based on where you live and your dog’s lifestyle.
Booster shots: These are given throughout your dog’s life to keep it protected. Some vaccines only need boosters every few years. Others should be boosted every year. Your vet will tell you how often your dog needs booster shots.
Can My Dog Get Parasites?
Yes, dogs can get various parasites, such as roundworms, hookworms, and heartworms. These can harm your dog's health and can sometimes affect humans, especially children or those with weak immune systems. Your vet will test your dog's poop once a year with a fecal test to identify and treat any parasites your dog has. Common parasites in dogs include:
Roundworms and hookworms: These parasites live in a dog's intestines and can infect people if they accidentally ingest them if poop gets on their hands when petting or cleaning up after their dog. Cleaning up poop and proper handwashing help prevent infections in people.
Heartworm: This serious parasite is spread by mosquito bites and lives in your dog's heart and bloodstream. Dogs should be tested for heartworm every year and should receive heartworm prevention medicine year-round. Many heartworm medicines also help prevent intestinal parasites.
Should I Brush My Dog’s Teeth?
Yes, brushing your dog’s teeth is important for good dental health. You can help your dog by:
feeding it dry dog food
giving it dental care toys made for dogs
brushing its teeth regularly using a special toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs
taking it to the vet for professional teeth cleanings as needed
Good dental care in dogs helps prevent plaque and tartar buildup, which can lead to gum disease, just as it does in people.
Should I Brush My Dog’s Hair?
Yes, it's important to regularly brush your dog to remove loose hair and prevent mats. This is especially important for dogs with thick or long fur. Matted hair can irritate the skin and lead to infections. Don’t use scissors to remove mats, because it's easy to accidentally cut the skin. Instead, use electric clippers made for clipping pets' hair. Bathe your dog with pet shampoo about once a month, depending on the season, or whenever your dog's coat gets very dirty or smells bad.
Does My Dog Need to Be Spayed or Neutered?
The surgery to prevent a dog from breeding is called spaying in females and neutering in males. All dogs should be spayed or neutered unless they are being bred. This helps prevent the birth of unwanted puppies and can decrease the risk of certain health issues later on.
Females: Female dogs should be spayed at around 6 months old, before their first heat (breeding) cycle. Doing so helps prevent mammary (breast) cancer and uterine cancer.
Males: Male dogs should be neutered when they are 5–10 months old. This can help prevent urine marking and other behavior problems.
How Do I Make My House Safe for a Dog?
Be sure to keep harmful chemicals like cleaning supplies, antifreeze, and certain plants out of reach of pets. Puppies, who love to chew, are especially at risk for ingesting these toxic substances. Try to tie up electrical cords out of reach of puppies to prevent chewing. You can also use bitter-tasting sprays (like bitter apple) on electrical cords to discourage chewing.
