You don’t need to be a vet to play an important role in the well being of your dog. We present five areas to keep an eye on to help ensure your dog is looking and feeling his best. Although regular veterinary checkups are still necessary, these tips can help prevent common dog health issues.
1. Dog Weight
Is your pet carrying too much weight? Leaner pets tend to be healthier and have fewer diseases. However, obesity can lead to dog health issues, such as diabetes, arthritis, and heart conditions among others. In addition, that added weight could be aggravating already sore joints and potentially causing further damage. If your dog is too large to weigh at home, most veterinarians will allow clients to come in and check their pets’ weight without an appointment or fee. Due to the poor nutritional quality found in certain commercial dog foods, dogs will overeat in an effort to get the nutrition they need, leading to weight-gain. Be sure to use quality dog foods, high in protein and low in grain. Even the best commercial dog food products lack essential nutrients, but these can be added to the dog food with supplements, such as Longevity powder or The Combo (a combination of both Fresh Factors and Joint Health Chewables).
2. Dog Body Condition
Does your pet have a waist? Most people don’t think about it, but your pet should have an hourglass figure. Stand over your dog and look down. If your dog’s waist doesn’t narrow at least a little bit before the hips, he/she may be carrying extra pounds, which can be detrimental to dog health. Now we look at the pet from the side—does his/her belly start to “tuck” behind the rib cage? You should be able to feel—but not see—your pet’s ribs. If your beloved furry friend is “barrel” shaped, then it may be time to put the treats away. Please remember—you’re the one in control of filling the food bowl, your pet is only in control of emptying it. Be sure to use a high-quality, high-protein dog food with Longevity powder or The Combo).
3. Ears & Dog Health
A key clue to dog health can be found by looking down into your pet’s ears. They should be clean and pale pink (or skin colored depending on breed and coat color). There should be no brown/black or waxy build-up. The ears should also be odor-free. Chronic ear goo could be another sign of allergies and you may want to consider upgrading the diet or adding a supplement containing a natural antihistamine such as bee pollen or spirulina (Longevity, Fresh Factors, etc.).
4. Skin Appearance & Itching
Itchy skin can be caused by a variety of factors. The first step is to ensure that your pet does not have fleas. By using a simple flea comb and running it through your dog’s fur, you can check for fleas or “flea dirt.” It’s important to get the comb down to the skin as you brush it through, checking for tiny fleas or bits of black flea dirt. If you find either of these, a bath and daily Bug Off Garlic would be in order. Changing/cleaning the bedding would also be helpful.
If you don’t find anything, it is possible your pet is suffering from allergies or simply dry skin. When you part your pet’s fur and examine the skin underneath, the skin should be relatively pink (or comparable color, depending on coat color) and even-toned without any redness, bumps, flakes, or patches of moisture. You can take a good sniff while you’re at the skin level – does it smell like “dog” or do you smell a yeasty or infection-type smell? These are further signs of allergies, and you might want to evaluate your pet’s diet and perhaps consider upgrading. Allergy symptoms can also be alleviated by adding either Fresh Factors or Longevity to your pet’s meals. When fed daily, the all-natural antihistamines in these two products provide lasting relief against inflamed, irritated skin. For dry, itchy skin, consider adding Omega 3-6-9 or Skin & Coat Oil. Watch as the dry, itchy skin repairs itself and your pet’s coat shines with a new luster. Let’s think of it like this: Someone who eats fast-food hamburgers and fries every day isn’t going to have perfect skin and hair, but if they improve their diet, their acne and greasy hair will clear up.
5. Stool Appearance in Dogs
Stool appearance and consistency are important signs of overall dog health. Your pet’s stools should be solid and formed but not hard. Coloring will vary depending on what is being fed (if a variety goes in, a variety will come out). You do not want overly soft stools. Also keep an eye open for parasites. Regular stool sample checks by your veterinarian will ensure your pet remains worm-free.
For more information on the Springtime products referenced in the article…
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Fresh Factors
| Springtime’s original tasty chewable. Supports healthy joints, coat, and digestion with all natural ingredients, including chondroitin sulfate, bee pollen, yeast culture, kelp, biotin, and beef liver.
Buy 2, Get 2 FREE! |
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Joint Health Chewables
| Convenient chewable tablet supports healthy hip and joint function with the popular ingredients chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine HCL & MSM.
Buy 2, Get 2 FREE! |
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Longevity
| Powerful supplement blend, including chondroitin, MSM, glucosamine HCL, spirulina, and bee pollen, in a powder formula, to support multiple health functions.
Buy 2, Get 1 Free! |
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The Combo
| An economical combination of two of our best products: Fresh Factors for wide-spectrum nutrition, plus Joint Health Chewables to support joint health.
Buy 2 Fresh Factors,
Get 2 Joint Health
Chewables FREE! |
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Skin & Coat
| A blend of seven of the most nutrient-dense oils available for a soft, brilliant, weatherproof coat and healthy, itch-free skin.
Buy 2, Get 1 FREE! |
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Omega 3-6-9
| Distilled wild fish oil with full-spectrum essential fatty acids for a shiny coat and healthy skin. |
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Bug Off Garlic
| Human-grade garlic granules provide a safe and effective 24-hour shield against fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and other biting insects.
Buy 2, Get 2 FREE! |
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