Top 5 Spring Healthcare Tips For Your Dog

Spring is here! Here are our top 5 tips to keep your dog happy and healthy this Spring!

1. Check Your Parasite Control is up to Date.

With the weather warming up, it’s best to ensure your pet is protected against fleas. Prevention is much easier than fighting an infestation! Worms are not only gross, but can cause health issues for your dog, and potentially even be picked up by other family members, especially children. Ticks are another preventable parasite that your pet can pass on to you. It’s a good idea to make sure your pooch is flea, tick and worm treated regularly, according to the product specifications.

Nexgard Spectra is a monthly tasty chew treat for dogs that offers protection against internal and external parasites – including fleas, ticks, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. Get a FREE Kong when you purchase 2 triple packs (a 6 month supply) of Nexgard Spectra from us. Only while stocks last! Grab yours now here.

2. Spring Cleaning – but how Clean are your Pets’ Teeth?

Our pets dental health is an important, but unfortunately often overlooked aspect of their well-being. Dental disease affects a large amount of the adult pet population, and if left untreated can cause serious and expensive to treat issues. Dental disease in pets can lead to pain, infection and even damage to the kidneys, liver and heart. The gold standard for pet oral care is tooth brushing, but it can be difficult to get our pets to cooperate. For a dental plan to be successful, it’s important that you make a plan that will work for you, your pet and your lifestyle.

If your pet is compliant enough to allow tooth brushing, ensure you pick a pet friendly paste, such as Orozyme. Orozyme is an enzymatic oral hygiene gel, which comes with a fingerbrush to make it easier to apply. Due to the enzymatic action the benefits of using Orozyme will still be working even where good physical brushing is not possible.

Another option is to feed a dental diet, such as Hills Prescription diet t/d.  Hill’s nutritionists & veterinarians developed Hill’s Prescription Diet t/d clinical nutrition especially to support your dog’s dental health. In fact, t/d is clinically proven nutrition to reduce plaque, stain, & tartar buildup. This is a complete and balanced diet, making looking after your pet’s teeth as simple as giving them breakfast.
If your pooch loves a chew treat, consider adding a once-a-day dental treat to their routine. Greenies, Veggiedent fresh chews, and Whimzees all have the Veterinary Oral Health council (VOHC) dental claim to help control plaque and tartar. Dental care for your pet can be as simple as a chew treat once a day! 

3. That Spring-time Itch

Just like humans, some pets experience seasonal allergies. Dogs can experience allergies for a number of reasons, and a lot of other health conditions can present similarly to allergies. It’s best to visit your vet to ensure you have the correct diagnosis and treatment for the condition.

Allergies can be caused by a variety of things, including food, environment, parasites, and pollen. Some dogs will seem itchier at different times of the year, when things like fleas or pollen are more present in the environment.

Fleas can cause your pet to itch, which can worsen other allergies and conditions. Some pets are even allergic to flea bites and saliva. Ensure your pet is flea treated all year round to avoid any unnecessary itching. 

Supplements designed for dog skin health can help support healthy skin. Often rich in Omega 3s, there are a variety of supplements to aid in skin health, including MyBeau Skin & Hair, Nutreats Vitals Skin, Coat and Mobility Oil, and KorurePets Marine Phospholipid Oil.

Contact allergies can be caused by your pet coming into contact with certain grass or plants (such as Tradescantia, also known as spiderwort or wandering jew) that they react to. These can happen more as the weather warms up and we take our pets out more often, potentially to new places, exposing them to new things. Be mindful of where your pet explores, and take note if your pet seems to flare up around certain parks or areas.

For ongoing skin issues, your vet may be able to prescribe medications such as Apoquel, which is a safer alternative to steroids used to treat allergic itch in dogs. For more information on Apoquel, click here, or speak to your vet. 

For more information, check out our article on Problem Ears and Skin Allergies.

4. Going Back to Work After Lockdown – Separation Anxiety in our Pets

Majority of the population has spent more time than usual at home over the past few weeks. Our pets have adjusted to spending more time by our sides, and less time alone. As we return to work, unfortunately we may see a rise in separation anxiety from our social pups.

Separation anxiety in pets can occur when a change in routine means your pet is suddenly left alone more than usual. They don’t understand the sudden change, and this often leads to “naughty”, unwanted behaviours. Some dogs may try to escape to search for you, become destructive, present nervous behaviours like panting or pacing, or toileting inappropriately. If new behaviours like this are noted, it’s best to see your veterinarian first to ensure there are no underlying medical conditions causing these.

It’s best to work your pet up to being left alone, by making tiny trips to begin with, before you return to your work schedule, and leave them to themselves all day. Some pets will learn to associate items with your departure. This may mean that the sound of your keys or the sight of you putting on shoes can cause them anxiety. You can work to dissociate these cues from you leaving, by putting on your shoes or picking your keys when you’re not actually leaving.

Ensure your pooch is well exercised before you leave for the day. Getting some excess energy out of them can help them settle while you are away. Try to avoid making a fuss about your pets before you leave and when you come home. We know how hard it is to ignore your pup when they are super excited to see you, but this can help to make your arrivals and departures less intense for your pet. Crate training your dog can help to teach them to be O.K when left alone, and when done correctly, can provide your pup with an invaluable safe space.

Providing your pet with puzzle toys and enrichment to keep them occupied when you leave can help to distract them from your absence. Check out our Nexgard Offer. When you buy 2 triple packs of Nexgard Spectra, you will receive a free Kong Classic toy (while stocks last), perfect to fill with treats and keep your pet entertained. Once your pet has mastered this, try freezing it for extra difficulty.

Adaptil diffusers can help to reduce anxiety in dogs. The Adaptil Calm Diffuser is a discrete plug-in which bathes the home in a synthetic copy of the ‘canine appeasing pheromone’, a natural product proven to comfort both puppies and adult dogs. They also have a collar option for helping with anxiety wherever your dog goes.

In severe cases of separation anxiety in pets, you may need help from a veterinarian or an experienced dog trainer. Anxiety in our pets is often dismissed, but is a negative experience that should be treated.

5. Beware the Barbeque!

Warmer nights, and the approaching freedom of lowered alert levels brings about the exciting idea of gatherings, and dusting off the beloved barbeque. It can be hard to resist begging puppy-dog eyes, but tidbits and table scraps (especially fatty ones) can cause serious issues for your pets.

Feeding your dog fatty foods can cause pancreatitis, which is a painful condition that can be fatal. Corn cobs can cause blockages in your dog intestinal tract, which may need surgery to remove. Cooked bones should never be given to pets as they can splinter, causing damage or even a blockage in your pets gut. And, although delicious to us, some human food, such as onions are toxic to pets.

Give your pet their own treats to occupy them and reduce those begging sad eyes. Try playing food games, which can be as simple as scattering their biscuit on the lawn, or utilizing the Kong we talked about in #4! Try a ZiwiPeak Venison shank for a long-lasting chew, or a low fat treat like the Whimzees Dental chews to keep them busy during dinner time. Be sure to dispose of leftovers somewhere out of reach for your pet too, and make sure rubbish bags are secure.

Enjoy making the most out of the warm weather with your pooch and stay safe this spring. Check out our other articles on our spring health care tips for cats and horses.