Prevention is always better than a cure......

 

Making the decision to own a pet means taking responsibility for their proper care.   

By caring for your animal properly and taking appropriate preventative steps to ensure their long-term health, you will increase the happy times you have together and potentially reduce cost.   

 

While we are not providing veterinary advice, we ask you to consider the following common sense points:

 

             Choose your Pet Wisely -  It takes time, money and long-term commitment to have a pet.  Be realistic about how much time you and your family are willing to spend with your pet, what activities you plan to enjoy together and who will be responsible for their daily care.  Understand as much as you can about that breed's characteristics and the individual animal's circumstances and any special needs and be honest about whether you're a good match.  If you are buying from a breeder, understand their track record, what they do to ensure the health of their animals and make sure that they scrutinize you as a potential owner as thoroughly as you do them.  We commend people who choose rescue animals - find out as much as you can about what the animal has been through and what they may need and be sure that you can meet those needs.

 

            Build a Good Partnership with your Veterinarian - Have your pets vaccinated.  Use preventative medicines for heartworm, fleas, ticks and other preventable illnesses.  Take your pet for regular check-ups, not just when you detect a problem.   Follow your veterinarian's advice.

 

            Spay or Neuter - Spaying/neutering reduces their risk of contracting a number of diseases and helps with population control.

 

            Ensure Proper Food & Exercise - Choose the pet food best-suited to your animal's breed type and stage of life.  Ensure your dogs get a good walk every day and that all your pets get appropriate stimulation.  Watch their weight - as in humans, being overweight puts animals at greater risk for a variety of ailments.  Brush their teeth regularly with toothpaste formulated for cats or dogs. 

 

           Spend Time with your animals every day - it'll enhance their health and happiness as well as yours!

 

           Maintain Proper Control - There are many risks in our Haliburton environment - from other animals, from traffic, of getting lost, etc.  Keeping control of your pet is a common courtesy to others.  Always walk your dog on a leash and do not let them run free.  Make sure that they have the required dog tags and considered having them micro-chipped so if they are lost, they can easily be identified. Socialize your puppies early and well so that they get along well with other people and other dogs.

 

           Provide a Safe Home Environment - Store medicines, cleaning products and toxic substances such as anti-freeze where they cannot be reached by pets.  If you use pesticides or fertilizers, keep your pets indoors to limit exposure.  Be aware of your pets in the kitchen - keep them away from danger.

 

            Ensure Vehicle Safety - Keep pets in pet carriers or restrained with seatbelts specially designed for their size when travelling with them in your vehicle.  Unrestrained animals can be injured in even minor crashes.  Never leave your pet in a car on a warm day.