Start your New Year off on the Right Foot!
You may have made your New Year’s resolution to get healthier which may include walking more. Lucky for you, it’s National Walk Your Pet Month. Take your dog along and work on your resolutions together!
Walking together is a great time to focus on training your dog and strengthening the bond between you. To get the most out of your time together, don’t walk and talk on the phone. Use this time to focus on your pet. Make the walk pleasant for you and your dog. Always carry bags for cleaning up and disposing of doggie poop. Leaving dog waste is not only a health hazard but in many cities, it’s a code violation. Don’t forget to hydrate, carry water for yourself and your dog, especially in warmer weather. Carry a collapsible water bowl along with you.
How much walking time is enough for your dog? Every dog’s exercise needs are different; there is no single right answer for all dogs. Factors to consider are your dog’s size (especially the length of his or her legs), breed, age, general health, and the walking environment. Watch your dog while you’re walking—if he starts panting and slowing down, you’ve gone far enough.
Being Proactive with Health Risks on Walks
Worms in dogs can pose a health risk to your favorite pet. Treating and controlling worms is the best defense for your dog against these dangerous pests Hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and tapeworms (T. pisiformis, E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and D. caninum) live in your dog’s body and grow to adulthood in the intestinal tract. That’s why broad-spectrum protection is important to help keep your dog healthy.
If your dog has intestinal worms, the parasitic infection could cause:
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Anemia
- Blood loss
- Inflammation of large intestine
- Coughing
- Even death, if left untreated
