Saturday, February 13, 2016

Healthy Pets Help Ensure Healthy Families

By Donna Stone


Mankind has kept domestic animals for hundreds of years. Initially, the purpose of these animals was to serve as food or as labour. Today, however, millions of households cherish tame household animals purely for their companionship and the joy that they provide to the members of the household. These animals can indeed make an important contribution to quality of life of their owners but owners should understand that it is their responsibility to ensure that they have healthy pets.

Animals kept as part of a household need love and attention. Not all animals need the same level of personal attention from their owners, however. Cats, for example, are often quite happy to be by themselves while dogs need constant attention. There is no captive animal that does not need at least some love and attention from time to time. If this is not given their health will most certainly suffer.

A lack of suitable exercise can also have a negative effect upon the health of an animal. Owners must make sure that their animals get enough exercise. Many types of caged animals can manage their own exercise regimes, provided that they have the tools necessary to do so. Others need to be taken for walks or enticed into games that will keep them fit and in shape.

An inappropriate diet is perhaps the biggest threat to the health of a household animal. Many owners fail to feed their animals a balanced diet specifically designed for their needs. They think they show them love by feeding them human food and snacks on demand. The truth of the matter is that an unbalanced diet radically shorten the life span of such animals.

Animals often develop medical conditions that are not obvious to their owners. That is why it is necessary to schedule regular visits to the vet. Routine tests will quickly reveal potential problems which can be dealt with in good time. Animals should also receive their inoculations on a regular basis. Any sudden changes in the habits of an animal may be indicative of a health problem.

Animals suffering from boredom and stressful situations are often unhealthy. All household animals should enjoy some variety in their routine and animals that enjoy playing with toys should have a variety available to them. Stress can be a killer, too. Owners will quickly learn which situations cause an animal stress and should try not to expose the animal to such situations.

It is unfortunate that many animal owners adopt animals that are simply not suited to the environment where they will be kept. The living environment intended for an animal should be a vital consideration when choosing a household pet. Some animals need more space, others need hiding places and yet others need privacy. Keeping an animal in an unsuited environment will affect its health.

Household animals can be a joy and they offer many benefits. It is important to choose an animal that will fit into the lifestyle of its owners. Owners have a responsibility to make sure that their animals are content, well cared for and healthy. Owners should also keep in mind that some animal diseases can be transferred to humans, especially children.




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