Start the New Year off on the right paw!
Checklist for better health

New Year's Resolutions
January is the time of year that people traditionally take time to evaluate their life and lifestyle, pledging to change for the better. The usual resolutions often include: to lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier foods, and perhaps to quit smoking.

Since pets are such an important part of our lives, it only seems fair to include them in this new year's "exercise" of making resolutions. Following is an inventory listing of pet health check points -- maybe some will apply to your pet / lifestyle.

Dental health
Good dental health is more than a reduction of 'doggy breath' -- it can affect the overall health of your pet. This applies to cats, too. Diseased teeth and gums can lead to tooth loss, jaw problems (infection, fracture), heart valve trouble, liver and kidney problems.

Your vet can advise you on your pet's current dental health. Some animals need a professional cleaning, others can be started on an at-home dental health maintenance plan, using tooth brushes or dental rinses.

Weight management
Obesity is a serious problem for many pets. Too many treats, lack of exercise, and generous meal proportions are all factors.

Being overweight affects the whole body -- more workload on the heart and cardiovascular system, excess strain on the joints (leading to arthritis or cruciate rupture and lameness), fatigue, and shortness of breath are a few of the problems arising from carrying extra weight.

The quality and length of your pet's life will be much better if at an optimum weight for the age, gender, breed of your pet. To determine if your pet is overweight and if so, what you can do about it, visit your veterinarian and check out sites such as Hill's Pet Fit™ site and the Nutrition Links.

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Text: Copyright © Janet Tobiassen Crosby. All rights reserved.

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