The Best List – The Best You Can Do For Your Pet
This best list following is, in my opinion, the absolute best one can do to ensure a long and healthy life for their pet. I have deliberately ordered them in importance of what is most likely to increase the chances of a long healthy, and most importantly, happy life. You may be surprised at the order, and I certainly welcome your feedback, so don’t hesitate to e-mail us with any questions or comments.
- Pet health insurance
- A balanced diet largely based on raw meaty bones and the right sort of table scraps, or your own home cooked pet food. Commercial foods are OK (I use them), but they are not necessarily the best food. I call them “convenience” foods.
- An annual health check from your veterinarian
- Regular exercise and plenty of social interaction, especially from an early age, and seeking professional veterinary behaviour advice for any developing behavioural concerns.
- Regular vaccinations for the main diseases (every three years for Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, and every year for canine cough for dogs, every year for flu and feline AIDS for cats). We highly recommend people no longer vaccinate for Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus annually.
- Regular intestinal worming.
- Behaviour consultations if behavioural problems exist, especially in the first year of life.
- Heartworm prevention
- Flea treatments only as required, or if suffering from undiagnosed allergies. We don’t believe in unnecessarily treating for fleas if there is no problem.
The above list is in order of what is most likely to ensure your pets have a long and healthy life. You may notice that vaccinations only come in at number 5. Don’t get me wrong, I recommend all the above. However it never ceases to amaze me when clients will regularly do points 5, 6 and 9, yet disregard 4 points that I consider far more likely to give value for money in ensuring a long healthy life. One of the good things about regular vaccinations is that your pet will receive a complete health check, which means you are at least indirectly doing point 3. But for some pet owners who have chosen for one reason or another not to vaccinate their pets, we still highly recommend you at least have a regular, annual health check.