Pet Care Articles
Save Your Dog’s Life in Five Easy Steps
1. Do not allow your dog to be fat.
The pain of arthritis starts earlier and is more severe in overweight dogs. I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty: It’s well established by research. Yes, we have marvelous medications that can ease an arthritic dog's pain. But if you keep your dog's weight at or slightly below ideal, he may not need them for years. That means when we say “a little padding on the ribs” we mean “very little padding, indeed.” And a tuck-in behind the rib cage — a real, honest-to-heavens waist. If you do nothing else on this list but prevent your dog from being overweight, you may have helped him to a longer, happier, more active life.
2. Do not take your dog for a ride in the car without securing him.
A loose dog can be a distraction to a driver, and in an accident, the dog can become a projectile, injuring himself or others in the car, possibly seriously.
3. Do not let your dog off leash in open areas.
Very few dogs heel reliably off lead, and just as few — if not fewer — have a foolproof emergency recall.
4. Do not let your dog play with young children without proper supervision.
I’m borrowing this one from my daughter, Vetstreet training expert Mikkel Becker. Every day you read about a dog who has bitten or killed a child, and in many of these cases, adult supervision would have prevented a tragedy.
5. Do not give “people meds” to your dog without checking with your veterinarian first.
Dr. Patty Khuly has written about dog-safe medications and how to use them. But many other common over-the-counter medications are just not safe for your dog. How do you know the difference? Check with your veterinarian, even if you’ve used an over-the-counter med on your pet before — there may be drug interactions you’re not fully aware of, for example. It's always better to be safe than sorry. (Note: I personally do not recommend aspirin at all because of its potential to produce stomach ulcers, but I realize it’s widely recommended by many good veterinarians, including Dr. Khuly, who advises its use, with caution.)