Animal care: advice from veterinarians

 

Are you thinking about getting a cat, dog, guinea pig or hamster? There are 4 important rules for caring for animals that owners need to adhere to:

1. Regularly monitor your pet’s health and nutrition.

2. Monitor the hygiene of the animal and its home.

3. Walk and play with your pet.

4. Set up your pet’s own corner.

Veterinarian's opinion: how to care for cats and dogs

Lyubov Vorontsova, veterinarian

Caring for babies is different from caring for adult animals. First of all, this concerns education: the kitten needs to be explained where the tray is and what ascratching post< is i=4>, a puppy - that you can only chew your toys. Also, the puppy needs to get used to walking, and this applies to absolutely all breeds.

Animals that are a little older (after 6 months) do not require any special care, but you need to closely monitor their health.

Pet health :

8–12 weeks

Vaccination is carried out initially at 8 weeks from birth, repeated vaccination is done strictly after 21–28 days. Vaccination against rabies is carried out after 3 months of age. It is worth drawing the attention of owners to the fact that the primary vaccination scheme for all animals (both cats and dogs, both small and adult) is carried out the same way - twice.

8 months

If you do not plan to breed animals, I highly recommend spaying and neutering them. With the help of these operations, a number of health problems are solved, especially in older age. Such operations are usually performed after eight months of age.

1–5 years

From 1 year to 5 years, you only need to visit a veterinarian once a year for vaccination.

After 5 years

After 5 years, we always recommend an annual full examination of the animal: general clinical and biochemical blood tests, general analysis of urine and feces, ECHO-KG of the heart, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, x-ray of the spinal column.

Some breeds of cats and dogs are at risk, so as they age, they need careful monitoring by a veterinarian.

Walks

It is recommended to walk large dogs twice a day. With dogs of decorative breeds - 3 times a day, since they have less bladder capacity. Many residents of megacities now have lap dogs that “walk” intray or diaper, like cats, which is not very correct. Dogs should be allowed to walk, absolutely everyone.

Walks should last at least half an hour, so at least 1 hour a day. But, again, a lot depends on the type of walk: active or calm, on the breed of the dog, on its temperament.

Important!

Breeds such as the Jack Russell Terrier or German Shepherd need long, active walks. A calm, measured walk is quite suitable for the Yorkshire Terrier and Tibetan Mastiff.

Care and hygiene

Some dog breeds need regular haircuts and trimming. Most cats, especially long-haired ones, need to be brushed regularly to prevent tangles from forming.

I recommend washing dogs no more often than once every 2-3 months. Of course, if the pet does not get dirty in a puddle of mud. Grooming for most breeds is carried out once every 6 months. But with cats everything is completely different. They wash themselves, so you definitely don’t need to wash them more than once a year. Again, if, for example, a white cat climbed into the fireplace and came out black, then it is better to help her and wash her prematurely, even if you already washed her a week ago .

Brushing teeth the dog must be taught from childhood. At least 2 times a week, with tooth paste and brush. You can learn more about all these nuances and ask your veterinarian. He will show you how to brush your teeth correctly and tell you which toys and food will be most suitable in your situation. You can buy various cleaning toys or edible sticks, there is nothing in it bad if you don’t give too many of these sticks.

Absolutely all animals need nail trimming. The frequency of nail trimming must be determined individually: some animals have to do this procedure every 2 weeks, others need only once a month or even two. But the main thing is not to let the claws get to such a state that they will grow into the paw pads and the animal will be in pain. Moreover, along with the claw, the capillary also grows, so when trimming the claws, blood may bleed.

Arranging the space

Some dogs and cats, regardless of breed, like to sleep in houses, some - only in open ones beds. It is important that they fit in size so that your pet has room when he lies down in a way that is comfortable for him.

An important criterion in choosing is the material of the bed. Try to purchase beds that are easy to wash and dry. Sometimes this is absolutely necessary.

The quality of the house plays a big role. It is necessary to buy such ones so that those who like to dig their place do not tear the seams and do not get to the padding polyester that is inside. This is especially important for puppies.