As your dog matures, the satisfaction and bonding grows within the family. Dogs between the ages of one and seven are considered to be an adult dog. During this age, some subtle changes are occurring that might be a problem later. As many as half the dogs seen in our hospital are overweight or have gum disease or both. These and other conditions pose a risk to your dog's health. These risks need to be managed now, before they become advanced and untreatable.
Our veterinary health care team will carry out a management program designed to promote good health for your dog. This program will include behavioral and environmental counseling, internal and external parasite control, routine vaccinations, nutritional guidance and exercise, grooming, and dental care. This kind of program allows our veterinarian to identify problems that might pose a health risk to your dog during his/her life. Our veterinarians will be able to discuss these risk factors based on medical history that you can provide, the results of physical examinations, diagnostic studies, and on basic knowledge of disorders that commonly affect pets of the same age, breed and sex.
As a responsible pet owner, follow our veterinarians' advice every day to keep your pet in good health.
1. Vaccinations:
Your adult dog will still need vaccinations. Yearly boosters for distemper, hepatitis, para-influenza, and parvovirus is recommended as well as the rabies vaccine, which is required by law. Lyme disease, leptospirosis and kennel cough vaccinations may also be indicated. Without the protection of vaccines, your dog is susceptible to various, possibly fatal, diseases.
2. Internal Parasites:
Internal parasites are very common in dogs. Internal parasites that are commonly seen in dogs are hookworms, whipworms, Giardia, coccidia, and tapeworms. These parasites can cause diarrhea, vomiting, anemia, and even death. Even adult dogs can still get internal parasites. Always remove fecal waste from your yard to lower the risk of internal parasite reinfection and transmission. Routine fecals should be check for these parasites.
Heartworms are parasites that live in the heart and pulmonary vessels. This type of parasite is transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause heart, liver, lung, and kidney disease. Heartworms can be fatal if not treated. Routine heartworm checks and monthly heartworm preventative year round is highly recommended for your dog.
3. External parasite and fungal infections:
External parasites in dogs include fleas, ticks, ear mites, and mange mites. When grooming your dog, check the skin carefully for evidence of parasites. Fleas can cause hair loss, skin infections, anemia, and scratching. Finding fleas, flea debris (flea feces look like black pepper), or tapeworm segments on your dog's coat are signs of a flea infestation. Ticks appear as brown or white parasites that attach to your dog's skin. Use extreme caution when pulling a tick off of your dog's skin. Make sure the tick's head is removed. Mange mites are another common parasite in dogs. Mange mites are microscopic and cause redness, hair loss and itchy skin. Our veterinarians may need to do multiple skin scrapes to diagnose mange mites. Some types of mange mites can be transmitted to people. Ringworm is a fungus that causes hair loss almost anywhere on the body and can also be transmitted to people. There are tests than can be done to check for ringworm. Our veterinarians can diagnose skin disease and use safe insecticides and/or fungicides to rid your dog's body or external parasite.
4. Grooming:
A poorly groomed coat increases the risk of skin infections and makes control of external parasites more difficult. By taking just a few minutes a day you can help prevent some serious problems. Besides, your dog will love the extra attention. Daily grooming also helps remove dead, tangled hair and debris, and allows you to notice sores, rashes, parasites, and other changes that may be hidden by your dog's coat. Some breeds require professional grooming or routine hair trims. Contact our veterinarians if you notice any changes in your dog's hair coat or skin. Dogs nails should also be trimmed every four weeks. Your dog could have problems walking or even tear a nail on the carpet, which can be very painful, if you don't trim his/her nails.
5. Exercise:
Exercise is beneficial for the general care of your dog. Make sure you walk or exercise 20 to 30 minutes each day. Exercising your dog will help maintain muscle mass and prevent obesity.
6. Training:
It is essential to maintain your dog's training. It is a good idea to plan 1-2 sessions (10-15 minutes each) a week reviewing basic commands.
7. Periodontal Disease:
Periodontal or gum disease is one of the most common illnesses in pets over two years old. Some of the risk factors for periodontal disease include plaque, tarter buildup, and retained baby teeth. Your dog's oral health can best be managed by frequent removal of plaque and by checking for reddened gums, loose teeth, or swelling of any kind. Our veterinarians can show you how to use a toothbrush or soft cloth for plaque removal. This home care, along with routine dental checkups that include cleaning, polishing, and treatment, if necessary, are important to reduce the risk of periodontal disease.
8. Proper Nutrition:
Throughout your dog's life, he/she should be fed a nutritionally balanced, highly digestible food specifically formulated for his/her age and life style. Adult dogs normally require foods containing medium amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. See our veterinarians if your dog seems to be getting too fat (you should be able to feel but not see his/her ribs) or if any skeletal problems arise (lameness). Never supplement dog food with table scraps or other food. Meat, scraps, or other foods may result in dietary imbalances and an addiction to the wrong kinds of food. Our veterinarians can help you determine the amount and types of food your dog needs to maintain optimum weight and avoid problems of joint and bone disease.
9. Neutering/Spaying:
Neutering or spaying your dog is highly recommended. This procedure will have the maximum beneficial effects when performed at a young age. Dogs are never too old to be spayed or neutered. Neutered and spayed pets live longer than non-neutered or non-spayed animals. It is a good idea to see our veterinarians for a free pre-surgical exam prior to your dog's surgery date. This gives our veterinarians a chance to examine your dog and talk to you about optional recommended procedures, such as pre-anesthetic blood work and laser surgery.
10. Environmental Conditions:
Outdoor animals are exposed to extreme weather conditions, infectious diseases, internal and external parasites, accidental poisoning from plants or chemicals, and injury from people or other animals. As a responsible pet owner, there are certain things you can do to reduce some of these risks. Keep your dog in a large enclosed kennel so he/she cannot get loose and be exposed to poisons, automobile accidents, animal attacks, or loss. It is also important to keep your dog's living and sleeping areas dry and comfortable at all times, make sure they have plenty of fresh food and drinking water available each day.
Understanding preventative health care, the risk factors your dog can be exposed to, and seeking advice from our veterinarians when problems arise will help keep your dog healthy. Routine checkups, daily exercise, and prudent home care is vitally important to your dog's health.