A Dog's Health Depends on Many Things

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     There are many things that go into what type of health your dog has. This is not just dependent on one thing. You may think you can just take care of your dog in a certain way and that they will never get sick. Well this is just not so at times. Let's look into what determines a dog's health.

Breeding

Breeding is very much an element in determine how healthy your dog will be. If certain diseases are in the genetics of a dog it can be more at risk for coming down with those diseases. When you are buying a purebred puppy, you need to purchase from a breeder so you can find out about the family health history of your pup. This way you will not be surprised later on if certain conditions show up. Epilepsy is one condition that can be passed on genetically and this can be heartbreaking to watch a dog go through. Of course, with mixed breed puppies you do not always get a chance to know the family histories.

Care

How you care for your dog affects not only its physical health but its mental health as well. Make sure that your dog gets fed the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and so on. Ask the vet for the right food for your dog. Dogs should not have sweets, chocolate or raisins among other things.

There is more to caring for a dog than just feeding and watering it every day. You need to keep it groomed too. A healthy coat also promotes healthy skin. Giving your dog love and affection makes it feel secure and mentally stable. So make sure to spend some loving moments with your pet too. Also pay attention to your dog getting enough exercise each day. This makes for an overall healthier body. Exercise allows the dog to build strong muscles and keep its heart healthier.

Veterinarian

Regular visits to the veterinarian are important too, for your dog's health. Vaccines are needed yearly to ward off things like rabies for one thing. Rabies can be deadly and can be transmitted to other animals. Also the vet will check the dog for worms, ear problems, eye disorders and mouth health.

Environment

Give your dog a clean environment to live in. Dirt and filth will make your dog sickly. Also keep plants that are poisonous to it away from the area it roams in. There are many plants that animals should not eat. Poinsettias are an example of these plants. Do let your dog chew on the kids' toys they could have harmful ingredients in them for your dog.

As you can see it takes a lot to keep your dog as healthy as possible. You cannot keep everything from happening to your dog, but you can minimize the risk of your dog being sick. Your dog becomes a valued part of the family and should be taken care of as such.