Pet Parenting Tips – Keeping Pets Happy, Safe and Healthy
Focusing on Prevention
Why do we purchase security systems for our home?
– To prevent someone from breaking in and stealing or damaging our belongings.
Why do we have our teeth cleaned each year?
– To reduce the chances of developing the type of infection that leads to tooth decay.
Humans do a lot of things to prevent harm to their property and to their body. Humans need to do the same for the creatures in their care.
Our goal at Creature Concierge is to serve pets in a way that ensures they are happy, safe and healthy. Prevention-based practices would significantly diminish four common ailments overwhelming our pets in the U.S.
Pet Obesity
“He just loves a bite of my bacon in the morning.” “She gets a few pieces of my steak but only as a treat.”
Pet parents give in to pets, serving them food they should not eat. Our pets’ digestive systems are not designed to process foods filled with fat, sodium, preservatives, artificial colors and sugar. You don’t need to be a professional nutritionist to see what is happening to our overfed, wrongly fed pets.
The extra weight blows their joints, strains their backs, and leads to diabetes. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention notes that almost 54 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats are overweight or obese.
Barring extreme challenges like thyroid issues, obesity is avoidable. Look at your pet’s current physique. Is it a healthy, normal size? If not, what can you do to ensure your pet is healthy inside and a healthy size too?
Resource: Creature Concierge Food Sensitivity and Diet Support
Pet Dental Disease
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), by three years of age, eighty percent of dogs and eight out of every ten cats show significant oral disease.
These are devastating statistics for two reasons. One, dental disease is preventable. Two, dental disease has been linked to heart disease, kidney and liver disease and even some cancers.
A Purdue study revealed a direct correlation between gum disease and heart disease.
- Have your pet’s teeth examined by your vet at every annual exam.
- Learn how to brush your dog’s teeth. (Creature Concierge will be glad to show you how.)
- Choose the right toothbrush (and toothpaste).
- Most toothbrushes manufactured for dogs and cats are not necessarily best for pets.
- A proper diet and certain dental chews/treats can also help.
Resource: Creature Concierge Affordable Dental Care, Dental Cleaning
Pet Diabetes
Growing in epidemic proportion, diabetes studies show a 79.7 percent increase in dogs and an 18.1 percent increase in feline diabetes between 2006 and 2015.
Obesity is the predisposing factor to this horrible, life-changing disease.
You can actively impact the weight of your pet. Intervention is critical since left untreated, diabetes can lead to severe heart problems, compromised kidneys and loss of eyesight. In fact, canine diabetes can be fatal if left untreated and can significantly shorten a cat’s life.
Heartworm
Heartworm is a parasite spread through the bite of mosquitoes that carry the infective heartworm larvae. See Texas is Among Top Ten States in the Nation for Heartworm Infection.
In regions like Texas, dog and cats without heartworm protection are almost 100 percent likely to suffer from infestation.
The larvae migrate to the lungs where they mature, growing to about 12 inches long. As they mature, blood vessels realize partial to complete blockage, diminishing the lungs’ ability to oxygenate the blood.
If left untreated, heartworm disease can be fatal. Talk to your veterinarian about year round heartworm prevention options.
Focusing on Prevention
Focus on prevention and intervention, because as I like to say:
“Your creature kid’s condition is a reflection of your attention.”
Jet Parker, Owner of Creature Concierge Dallas TX
