Need a few dog health questions answered before you get your new puppy? No worries. This guide will give you the facts on how to take care of a dog. Below, you’ll find advice from veterinarians regarding your puppy?s diet, vaccinations, and grooming.
Dog Health Questions to Help You Take Care of Your New Puppy
1. What Should You Feed Your Puppy?
Studies show puppies need up to 25-30% of their diet to be protein. This allows them to continue to grow healthily. However, you should also resist the urge to feed your puppy more than what they need. This applies for both mealtime and treats. Feeding your puppy too much can lead to massive weight gain, which can turn into alarming health concerns, like bone and joint problems.
Doctors recommend small breed dogs to eat 3-4 times a day since they usually have a high metabolic rate. Larger dogs, on the other hand, should be fed according to their size and level of physical activity.
2. How Many Treats Should I Give?
It can be tempting to keep feeding your dog little treats throughout the day. However, doctors recommend keeping treats at a maximum of 5% of their daily food intake.
The trick is to divide the treats into small pieces. That way, you can still train and play with your dog without worrying about over-feeding.
3. What are the Different Kinds of Dog Food?
Kibble, or dry food, is the most affordable dog food option. It?s also easier to store, since it doesn?t require refrigeration. Canned dog food is another option you may want your dog to try. It has a longer shelf life, which means you can buy in bulk and save some money. However, canned dog food has a reputation for being nutritionally incomplete, so remember to check the labels beforehand.
Outside of these options, some dog owners prefer to give their precious pooches home cooked meals. This alternative is more time consuming because the meals are cooked from scratch. However, the advantage is that dog owners are able to control exactly what goes into their furry friend?s food.
Another dog food option is the raw diet. A raw diet is exactly what it sounds like: raw meat and vegetables. Dogs have strong stomach acid, so they’re able to digest these food items without any problems. Still, done improperly, a raw diet can lead to dietary imbalances. Remember to consult with a veterinarian before putting your dog on a raw food diet.
4. How Do I Know if My Dog Has a Food Allergy?
Common symptoms of food allergies include itching, ear inflammation, a dull coat, diarrhea, and vomiting. Your dog may suffer from common dog skin problems such as rashes and hives as well.
5. What Are Dogs Usually Allergic to?
Dogs are commonly allergic to the following: pork, rabbit, chicken, fish, egg, wheat, and dairy. One way to determine if your dog is allergic is to put them through an elimination diet. This can be done with the help of a veterinarian. They will change your dog?s diet and introduce new food items, gradually adding things from their old diet back in. One step at a time, your veterinarian can determine what could be causing your dog’s allergies.
6. What Food Items Are Dangerous for Dogs?
Keep your furry pets away from alcohol, chocolate, citrus, coffee, grapes, and raisins. These ingredients can be toxic and extremely harmful to your dog?s health. Check out this great blog that gets more in-depth about what to feed, and what not to feed, your pup.
7. How Often Should I Bring My Puppy to the Vet?
Schedule your puppy for check-ups with the vet after every three to four weeks. This should go on until your puppy is 16 weeks old. Interested in getting your puppy spayed or neutered? Tell your veterinarian in advance. The procedure can be scheduled as soon as your puppy turns six months old.
8. What Shots Should Your Puppy Get?
Your dog?s vet will give your puppy the following shots: distemper-parvo, rabies, and kennel cough. The vet may recommend additional vaccination shots for things like heartworm disease and intestinal worms during the visits as well.
9. How Often Should You Bathe Your Dog?
Doctors recommend bathing dogs every three months when it comes to pet grooming. However, this number can change, depending on your dog?s lifestyle.
When it does come time to bathe them, don?t forget to use a mild shampoo for your dog. Also, remember to brush your dog?s fur before giving them a bath. Doing so will help eliminate any mats.
Need more answers to your dog health questions? Watch the video below:
These dog health questions will help you take care of your new family member. Ultimately, having a puppy in the house will teach you a lot about patience, time management, and responsibility. Additionally, it?ll provide you with a best friend who will welcome you home with a wagging tail every single time.
Have more dog health questions you?d like us to answer? Leave them in the comments below!
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