A dog can be a wonderful addition to any home, but whether you're an experienced pet parent or a first-time adopter, it's important to keep your canine companion's health and happiness a top priority. Below are some useful tips for all dog parents.
Feeding
Puppies eight to 12 weeks old need four meals a day.
Feed puppies three to six months old three meals a day.
Feed puppies six months to one year two meals a day.
When your dog reaches his first birthday, one meal a day is usually enough.
For some dogs, including larger canines or those prone to bloat, it's better to feed two smaller meals.
Premium-quality dry food provides a well-balanced diet for adult dogs and may be mixed with water, broth or canned food. Your dog may enjoy cottage cheese, cooked egg or fruits and vegetables, but these additions should not total more than ten percent of his daily food intake.
Puppies should be fed a high-quality, brand-name puppy food (large breed puppy foods for large breeds). Please limit "people food," however, because it can result in vitamin and mineral imbalances, bone and teeth problems and may cause very picky eating habits and obesity. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times, and be sure to wash food and water dishes frequently.
Exercise
Dogs need exercise to burn calories, stimulate their minds, and stay healthy. Individual exercise needs vary based on breed or breed mix, sex, age and level of health. Exercise also tends to help dogs avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors. Supervised fun and games will satisfy many of your pet's instinctual urges to dig, herd, chew, retrieve and chase.
Grooming
Help keep your dog clean and reduce shedding with frequent brushing. Check for fleas and ticks daily during warm weather. Most dogs don't need to be bathed more than a few times a year. Before bathing, comb or cut out all mats from the coat. Carefully rinse all soap out of the coat, or the dirt will stick to soap residue.
Handling
To carry a puppy or small dog, place one hand under the dog's chest, with either your forearm or other hand supporting the hind legs and rump. Never attempt to lift or grab your puppy or small dog by the forelegs, tail or back of the neck. If you do have to lift a large dog, lift from the underside, supporting his chest with one arm and his rear end with the other.
Housing
Your pet needs a warm, quiet place to rest, away from all drafts and off the floor. A training crate or dog bed is ideal, with a clean blanket or pillow placed inside. Wash the dog's bedding often. If your dog will be spending a lot of time outdoors, be sure she has access to shade and plenty of cool water in hot weather, and a warm, dry, covered shelter when it's cold.
Licensing and Identification
Follow your community’s licensing regulations. Be sure to attach the license to your dog’s collar. This, along with an ID tag and implanted microchip or tattoo, can help secure your dog’s return should she become lost.
Fleas and Ticks
Daily inspections of your dog for fleas and ticks during the warm seasons are important. Use a flea comb to find and remove fleas. There are several new methods of flea and tick control. Speak to your veterinarian about these and other options.
Fleas and ticks are two of the most frequent pet care concerns in America. While prevention is the best defense against these parasites, it’s important to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of fleas and ticks so you can help your pets if necessary. Read on for more information.
Fleas
Fleas are the most common external parasite to plague companion animals. They are wingless insects that feed on blood, can jump up to two feet high and are persistent in the environment.
Fleas can live for as few as 13 days or as long as 12 months—and during that time, can produce millions of offspring. Though there are many species of fleas, the one that most often affects both dogs and cats in North America is the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis.
Symptoms of Fleas on Dogs
Fleas are most commonly noticed on a dog’s abdomen, the base of the tail and the head. Common symptoms of fleas on dogs include:
Droppings or “flea dirt” in a dog’s coat (small dark "grains of sand")
Flea eggs (tiny, white grains)
Allergic dermatitis
Excessive scratching, licking or biting at skin
Hair loss
Scabs and hot spots
Pale gums
Tapeworms
Symptom of Fleas on Cats
If you see your cat scratching often and persistently, invest in a fine tooth comb and run it through her fur, paying special attention to the neck and the base of the tail. If you see small, fast-moving brown shapes about the size of a pinhead in her fur, your cat has fleas.
Other symptoms:
Droppings of “flea dirt” in a cat’s fur (small dark "grains of sand")
Flea eggs (tiny, white grains)
Itchy, irritated skin
Persistent scratching
Chewing and licking
Hair loss
Tapeworms
Pale lips and gums
Causes of Fleas
Fleas are easily brought in from the outdoors.
Fleas thrive in warm, humid climates at temperatures of 65 to 80 degrees.
Adult fleas spend most of their lives on the animal, laying eggs in the fur.
These eggs drop out onto rugs, upholstery, bedding and furniture; the new adult fleas will, in turn, find their living host (either human or animal).
Flea Complications
Fleas can consume 15 times their own body weight in blood, which can cause anemia or a significant amount of blood loss over time.
This is especially problematic in young puppies or kittens, where an inadequate number of red blood cells can be life-threatening.
Some pets have heightened sensitive to the saliva of fleas, which can cause an allergic reaction known as flea allergy dermatitis.
Ticks
Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of unlucky host animals, such as cats and dogs. Like mites and spiders, ticks are arachnids. Although their presence may not even be noticed by the host, ticks can transmit many diseases through their bite.
Tick species and disease transmission tend to vary based on where you live, so check with your vet about what is common in your area.Tick species and disease transmission tend to vary based on where you live, so check with your vet about what is common in your area.
Tick Transmission
Most species of ticks require blood meals from a host to survive.
Ticks bury their head into a host’s skin when they bite and then gorge themselves on blood.
Ticks tend to be most active in late spring and summer and live in tall brush or grass, where they can attach to dogs and outdoor cats.
Ticks can be transferred from pets coming into the household from outdoors.
Ticks prefer to attach close to the head, neck, ears and feet, but can be found anywhere on your pet’s body.
Ticks are particularly prominent in warm climates and certain wooded areas of the Northeast. How Do I know if My Pet Has Ticks?
Most ticks are visible to the naked eye. Ticks are often the size of a pinhead before they bite, and not noticed until they swell with blood.
While these parasites rarely cause obvious discomfort, it is a good idea to check your pet regularly if you live in an area where ticks are prevalent, especially if he spends a lot of time outside.
Run your hands carefully over your pet every time he comes inside, and especially check inside and around the ears, head and feet.
Complications Associated with Ticks
Blood loss
Anemia
Tick paralysis
Skin irritation or infection
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection than can affect humans, dogs, cats and other mammals.
Its primary carrier is the deer tick, which can attach to a dog or human and transmit the bacteria that cause the disease.
Clinical signs of Lyme disease include depression, swelling of the lymph nodes, loss of appetite, fever, swollen, painful joints and kidney failure.
Lyme disease is most effectively treated with antibiotics.
With prompt, proper treatment, your pet’s condition should start to improve within 48 hours.
Cytauxzoonosis
Cytauxzoonosis is a lethal infection caused by tick bites.
This blood parasite is common in the South and is carried by bobcats.
Ticks who feed on bobcats may transmit the infection to domestic cats, for whom the disease is fatal.
Clinical signs of infection include: high fever, difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, jaundice, coma and death.
The infection progresses rapidly—in a matter of weeks—and there is no known cure, though several studies have proved successful in managing certain strains of the disease.
Tick Treatment and Removal
If you do find a tick on your pet, it is important to take care when removing it. Any contact with the tick’s blood can potentially transmit infection to your pet or even to you. Prompt removal is necessary, but it is important to stay calm and not rush. Follow these step-by-step tick removal instructions:
Step 1: Prepare
Put on latex or rubber gloves so you’ll never have direct contact with the tick or your pet’s bite area.
Because throwing a tick in the trash or flushing it down the toilet will not kill it, you should prepare a screw-top jar containing rubbing alcohol to put a tick in after removal. This also allows you to hold it for veterinary testing.
If possible, enlist a partner to help you distract and soothe your pet and hold her still during removal.
Step 2: Remove
Using a pair of tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the animal’s skin as possible.
Pull straight upwards with steady, even pressure and place the tick in your jar.
Do not twist or jerk the tick. This may leave the mouth-parts embedded in your pet, or cause the tick to regurgitate infective fluids.
Do not squeeze or crush the body of the tick, because its fluids may contain infective organisms.
Step 3: Disinfect and Monitor
Disinfect the bite area and wash your hands with soap and water, even though you were wearing gloves.
Sterilize your tweezers with alcohol or by carefully running them over a flame.
Monitor the bite area over the next few weeks for any signs of localized infection, such as redness or inflammation.
If infection occurs, please bring your pet—and your jarred tick—to your veterinarian for evaluation.
Tick Prevention
Many of the same products on the market that treat fleas also kill ticks and prevent against future infestation. Speak to your vet about the best product for your pet.
Ensure a tick-free lawn by mowing it regularly, removing tall weeds and making it inhospitable to rodents by keeping garbage covered and inaccessible.
Medicines and Poisons
Never give your dog medication that has not been prescribed by a veterinarian. If you suspect that your animal has ingested a poisonous substance, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for 24-hour animal poison information at (888) 426- 4435.
Spaying and Neutering
Female dogs should be spayed and male dogs neutered by six months of age.
Vaccinations
Your dog may benefit from receiving a number of vaccinations.
Dog Supply Checklist
Premium-quality dog food and treats
Food dish
Water bowl
Toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys
Brush & comb for grooming, including flea comb
Collar with license and ID tag
Leash
Carrier (for smaller dogs)
Training crate
Dog bed or box with warm blanket or towel
Dog toothbrush
The Scoop on Poop
Keep your dog on a leash when you are outside, unless you are in a secured, fenced-in area. If your dog defecates on a neighbor's lawn, the sidewalk or any other public place, please clean it up.