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Puppy Health Checklist

Puppies like human babies need additional love, care, and support in their growing age. The first month of a new puppy is critical as it needs the best healthcare, nutrition, and love to grow into a healthy and cheerful dog. Puppy health becomes the primary responsibility of pet parents during this stage. They must ensure preventive care and medical support alongside providing proper nourishment. To know more about the puppy health checklist, read the following.

Puppy health essentials

Maintaining puppy health is the foremost important duty of every pet parent. Consulting a vet, vaccinating, neutering, and availing regular healthcare check-ups are a few duties of puppy caregivers. Similarly, other puppy preventive care includes:

Veterinarian visits: Taking an appointment to see a vet is the first thing puppy caregivers should do. Consulting the vet helps the pet parent understand their fur baby’s healthcare and behavioural requirements. The vet also conducts a thorough health check-up to diagnose the puppy’s allergies or health concerns. Besides, vets also give helpful insights on puppy preventive care and grooming tips to pet parents. Prepare for your puppy's first vet visit by making sure you're ready and well-informed about the experience.
Deworming: Worm and parasite treatment is necessary for puppies. Veterinarians often recommend a stool examination on the puppy’s first visit to diagnose worms and parasites. Worms are very common among puppies; hence, vets recommend a deworming session on the puppy’s first visit.
Vaccination: Like humans, puppies too need immunity to fight harmful viruses, bacteria, and diseases. To keep your puppy’s health in check, it is important to get them vaccinated against harmful diseases like hepatitis, distemper, rabies, parainfluenza virus, parvovirus, and Bordetella. Make sure that you go through the puppy vaccination guide before consulting your vet. This will help you jot down any questions regarding the vaccination process and schedule. However, as a pet parent, you must know that vaccination is not limited to puppies, adult and senior dogs also need booster shots to fight back fatal diseases.
Flea treatment: Ticks and fleas are extremely common in puppies. Getting your puppy treated for fleas and ticks is important for their hygiene and well-being. These parasites treat your fur baby as a host to feed on its blood and suck away all essential nutrients away from its body. Besides, fleas and ticks also cause a lot of irritation to puppies. So, frequent ticks and flea treatment is recommended for the puppy’s health.
Health and exercise: Puppies are playful and energetic. Pet parents can build a healthy routine for their fur babies by dedicating a fixed time for walks and playtime. Doing so will keep the puppy entertained and healthy. Spending playtime with the puppy will also help you to establish a strong bond with it. Besides, this also aids in observing the puppy to gauge its development, health, and mood.
Balanced diet: Puppies need more energy as they are constantly growing. However, their anatomy is way smaller than the amount of energy they require. Therefore, pet parents need to ensure puppies are fed a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet. Protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates are some essential nutrients required for a puppy’s physical well-being. Moreover, puppies should be fed at least 3 to 4 meals a day to support their nutritional requirements for healthy growth. With IAMS™ puppy food, you can provide your pooch with a nutritionally balanced meal for healthy growth and development. Thanks to our best-quality ingredients, you do not have to worry about digestibility.

Puppy medical care

Medical and preventive care is extremely necessary for puppies. Younger puppies are too small to understand what is good or bad for them. Besides, they are also very curious, playful, and energetic during their initial years. This playful and curious nature can sometimes lead to harmful situations.

Puppies often play and munch on random objects, which can sometimes result in toxication. In fact, accidents are also common in puppies as they lack cognitive skills to measure the consequences of their action. Hence, pet parents should pay more attention to their puppy’s growth and development. Some essential puppy health recommendations are as mentioned:

Finding a vet: Taking your pup for regular health check-ups is essential for a its adequate growth and development. Consulting a veterinarian will provide useful insights and health tips for the puppy’s well-being. However, before visiting a vet, you should check important details like the doctor’s experience, speciality, and location. You need an experienced vet in or around your vicinity.
Health check-up: On visiting the vet, request a few tests to diagnose and treat any abnormalities or diseases. Stool test for internal parasites and head-to-tail examinations for inspecting the puppy’s fur, eyes, ear, mouth, and body are conducted by the vet during your initial visits to diagnose and treat health issues.
Feeding medicines: Veterinary doctors prescribe medication or supplements for treating any underlying illness and replenishing vitamin deficiency in puppies. However, feeding medicines to puppies or dogs is not an easy task. Follow the steps given below to learn how to successfully feed medicines to puppies.

Step 1: Start with a play session to relax the puppy. Praise it for good behaviour and sit nearby once it calms down.
Step 2: Keep the pill ready in one hand and gently open the puppy’s mouth using your free hand.
Step 3: Place the pill at the far end of your puppy’s tongue and remove your hand. Now, quickly hold your puppy’s mouth shut and blow gently on its nose. Blowing air on the puppy’s nose will force it to swallow the pill.
Step 4: Offer the fur baby a treat for good behaviour and resume playtime.

Apart following puppy health checklist, pet parents also need to ensure their fur baby is provided with other basic facilities for their overall growth and development. Training and socializing are as important as providing the best healthcare.

Besides, potty training and command training establishes hygiene and good behavior in them from a young age. To conclude, puppy health, fitness, and training are some of the most essential aspects for the overall growth and development of puppies.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know my puppies are healthy?

Observe the puppy daily to look for signs of discomfort, illness, and abnormalities. If you notice a major shift in the puppy’s mood or changes in physical attributions, stool, fur, and other attributes, then consult a vet at the earliest. However, if everything looks and feels normal then you have a healthy puppy.

What are the 5 signs of a healthy puppy?

Soft and shiny fur, clean ear, bright eyes, a clear nose, and a playful mood are some essential signs of a healthy puppy.

What are the signs of a sick puppy?

Diarrhea, vomiting, itching, whimpering, and loss of energy are some signs of a sick puppy.

What are the most common illnesses in puppies?

Parasites, kennel cough, parvovirus, vomiting, and diarrhoea are some common illnesses in puppies.

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Can Dogs Eat Human Foods? Knowing What's Safe and Harmful

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We often find ourselves wanting to share our meals with our furry companions. While it's natural to want to share every aspect of our lives with them, should we really include dogs in our gastronomic adventures? Let’s find out!

Can dogs eat human foods?
The answer is both yes and no. While dogs are omnivores and can eat a variety of foods, their digestive systems differ significantly from ours. This means that some human foods that are perfectly safe for us can actually be harmful or even toxic to our canine companions.

Human foods: What can dogs eat
Here are some safe and healthy human foods dogs can eat:
Carrots: Crunchy and delicious, carrots are excellent for dental health and packed with essential nutrients like beta-carotene and vitamin A.
Salmon: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon promotes healthy skin and coat, and is a good source of protein. Remember to cook it without harmful seasonings or oils.
Blueberries: These tiny berries are bursting with antioxidants and fiber, making them a healthy and delicious treat for your dog.
Eggs: Scrambled or hard-boiled, cooked eggs are a safe and nutritious protein source for dogs.
Peanut butter: Unsweetened and unsalted peanut butter is a tasty and healthy source of fat for your dog. You can even use it to fill puzzle toys for extra mental stimulation.
Human foods: What can dogs not eat
Beware of these common human foods that are toxic to dogs:
Chocolate: Contains theobromine, a stimulant that can cause heart problems, vomiting, seizures, and even death in dogs.
Grapes and raisins: These pose a risk of kidney failure in dogs, even in small quantities.
Onions and garlic: Toxic even in small quantities, these can cause anemia and damage red blood cells in dogs.
Avocado: The flesh and pit of avocados contain persin, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis in dogs.
Macadamia nuts: These nuts can cause weakness, tremors, hyperthermia, and even death in dogs.
Additional tips:
Always introduce new foods slowly to avoid digestive upset.
Moderation is key. Even safe foods should be given in moderation to avoid weight gain and other health problems.
Consult your veterinarian if you have any concerns about specific foods or your dog's health.
Choosing the right food for your dog
While it's certainly tempting to share our meals with our beloved furry companions, it's crucial to remember that their dietary needs are distinct from ours. Human foods, even those seemingly harmless, can be detrimental to a dog's health.

Why? Unlike human food, dog food is specially formulated to meet their specific nutritional requirements. It's a carefully balanced diet packed with proteins, essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients vital for their overall well-being.

Why specialised dog food matters
Balanced nutrition: Dog food is carefully formulated to provide all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your dog needs for optimal growth and development. It ensures they receive the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber, promoting a healthy immune system, strong bones and muscles, and a shiny coat.
Digestive health: Human food can be difficult for dogs to digest, leading to gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and diarrhea. Dog food is designed to be easily digestible by their sensitive systems, promoting optimal nutrient absorption and gut health.
Specific needs: Different breeds and life stages have varying nutritional requirements. Puppies need additional energy and nutrients for growth, while older dogs may require a diet lower in calories and fat. Specialised dog food caters to these specific needs, ensuring your furry friend receives the right nutrition for their age and breed.
For instance, IAMS dog food is crafted with your dog's health in mind. It provides a range of benefits such as:
Strong and healthy bones and muscles: IAMS dog food is rich in protein, which is crucial for supporting healthy growth and development.
Shiny coat and healthy skin: The food contains essential fatty acids that contribute to a radiant coat and healthy skin.
Enhanced immunity: IAMS provides vital nutrients that help boost your dog's immune system, protecting them from illnesses.
Improved digestive health: The food contains prebiotics and probiotics that promote healthy digestion and gut health.
Our ultimate goal is to take the best care of our dogs. This means feeding them with nutrient-rich foods that cater to their specific dietary needs. By choosing the right food, like IAMS products, you ensure that your dog stays healthy, energetic, and happy.
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