BASIC PET CARE

NOTE: Please consult your veterinarian with any queations regarding your pets health and well being. Pet care requirements will vary according to where you live.

1. Vaccinations

Dogs need annual distemper/parvo shots. Puppies need their first shots at 8 weeks of age, followed by a series of 3 shots at 2-3 week intervals.

Cats need annual distemper/leukemia shots. Kittens need their first shots at 8 weeks of age, followed by a series of 3 shots at 2-3 week intervals.

Both dogs and cats need rabies shots. Puppies need their first rabies shot at 4 months and a booster at 1 year. Annual rabies vaccinations vary, consult your veterinarian.

2. Identification

Both dogs and cats should have identification. This may be an identification tag or a microchip implant. They need some way to "say" where they live.

3. Spay or Neuter your pet

Both dogs and cats should be spayed or neutered. This can be done as early as 4 months of age, consult your veterinarian. A spayed/neutered pet makes a happier and a healthier pet. Pets that are not spayed/neutered are more prone to serious illness, in addition to wandering and being hit by a car. Spaying/neutering helps reduce the pet overpopulation and thus reduces the number of pets that have to be put to sleep because there are not homes for them.

4. Food

Dogs and cats need a good diet. The food you feed your pet is of vital importance to its general health. Dogs and cats should not eat "people" food, table scraps, etc. A poor diet or "people" food can cause serious health problems for your pet.

5. Clean water and housing

Both dogs and cats need clean water, not water that has algae growing in it. Both dogs and cats need shelter from the sun, wind and rain. Your dog should be confined to a fenced yard, a dog that wanders off your property is prone to get injured.

6. Parasites

Both dogs and cats can get tape worms from fleas, and round worms. There are several other kinds of worms that can infect your pet. Both dogs and cats can have fleas, or other parasites. These parasites live off your pet and not only are annoying to your pet but also determental to your pets general health. Ticks also get on your dogs and cats. There are flea/tick applications or collars that will prevent these problems. Consult with your veterinarian.

7. Grooming

Both dogs and cats need to be groomed. You may groom your pet with a comb or brush, depending on your pets fur. During grooming you should check for any parasites, cuts, burrs, etc. Long hair dogs and cats fur can get matted from a lack of grooming. Matts are clumps of hair that are tightly wadded against the pets skin. Burrs and insects can harbor under these matts and cause severe problems before you know it. Consult your veterinarian with any questions or problems.

8. Exercise

Pets need exercise. A dog should not be confined to a short chain for life. A cat should not be confined to a cage. Animals need exercise, to play, romp around, stretch their muscles, to improve their general health.

A pet is a special friend, always there for you. Pets depend on their owners for a loving home, a safe warm place and in return they give you unrelenting and unquestioned love.