Pets are our best friends—our closest companions that help us through our darkest times. However, sometimes our little companions need a little help of their own when they fall ill, which can be a significant blow to many pet owners. Some owners aren’t able to notice the signs of a pet emergency during its beginning stages, (i.e., old dog skin problems, early dog pregnancy symptoms, canine vestibular syndrome) which sometimes proves fatal for many pets who don’t get an annual checkup at an animal hospital. Here are a few tips to prevent constant visits to the animal hospital and what to do in case of an emergency.
The Needs of Your Pet
Many pet owners—experienced and new, often still have questions about their pets, such as how much exercise does a dog need every day? How to care for a dog wound? When should I get pet vaccinations? The answer might surprise some pet owners and intrigue others. Typically, pets require different levels and types of exercise and veterinary care, depending on their breed. Although it is a rough generalization, it does provide some basis about their level of activity. The recommended daily amount of exercise is also determined by their breeding, which means for some animals, there is a very limited amount of activity in their daily lives. Therefore, we’ve created a list of games and exercises recommended for various animal breeds.
a. Border Collies and Australian Shepherds: These two breeds that mimic their origins to herding livestock—their characteristics depict their natural herding instincts that tend to influence their aggressive nature. Their aggressive behavior is what makes them ideal for predominately outdoor activities that require constant energy and mental stimulation that give them the energy to enjoy interactive toys and other high-energy activities (I.e., chasing, barking, catching and fetching)
b. Pointers, Cocker Spaniels, Labrador, and Golden Retrievers:These breeds of dogs are master hunters. Even when they are tamed and house-trained, their rowdy and astute characteristics take ahold of their behaviors, which make their ideal playing styles running and chasing games—logic-based games that allow for thought and actively seeking out the target. You can always count on these furry friends to enjoy any active games that involve running, chasing, body slamming, and neck biting.
c. Jack Russel, Patterdale, Bull, American Pit Bull, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier: They’re known as the playfully aggressive types that truly enjoy the rougher styles of playing. The ideal routines for them are activities that entail wrestling and body slamming—breeds such as these truly enjoy weight pulling and chasing, like the previous groups, and most do well with a known-playmate that matches their playful style.
d. Beagles, Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, Greyhound, Whippet, and Ibizan Hounds: If you ever needed a companion to lead the way or work well in groups, the Hound group is the best fit for you. Their keen scent allows them to be the best candidates for sniffing out anything. There are also known to best work in groups that allow them to play aggressively amongst each other because they are comfortable playing in their own pact. Often, their groups consist of the same or similar breeds of dog that allows them to remain comfortable—Greyhounds, Whippet, Ibizan Hound is fond of chasing and rough-housing and do best with high-energy, competitive games.
e. Poms, Maltese, Pugs, Shih-Tzu, and Yorkies: Considered to be a very docile and gentle breed, they often find joy in others company and usually crave attention from their owners.
What To Do When Your Pet Is Sick
No one is immune from being under the weather at times, and that goes for pets, too. Typically, the signs and symptoms of pets needing to visit an animal hospital is much more noticeable in certain breeds than others but still have general similarities. When your pets are sick, the best thing to do is take them to an animal hospital, emergency vet, or 24-hour vet that has the certification to treat animals properly. An animal hospital or veterinary clinic are some of the most resourceful aspects of animal care around, as they give you a general overview of their health and future prognosis and prevention methods.
