PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Your pets depend on you, and getting them started on the right paw in the new year can only make them healthier and happier.
Dr. Amber Karwacki, veterinarian at Heart + Paw in Callowhill, says there are many ways to do this, starting with annual trips to the vet.
“Just like we should see our doctor once a year, so should your pets,” Karwacki said. “As they are aging, we are going to do annual blood work just to watch the trends to make sure that their liver and their kidneys are okay.”
Karwacki said it is also important to keep up with your pet’s vaccinations, especially for the flu.
“That used to be more in the south, but it now has traveled up to the north and we are actually in the midst of an outbreak right now, so we are now starting to recommend that vaccine, especially for dogs that go to dog parks and boarding kennels, things like that,” Karwacki said.
In addition to flu vaccines, she said dogs should also get their rabies, distemper and Bordetella vaccines. And, as for cats: rabies and FVRCP vaccines.
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Aside from routine check-ups and vaccines, Karwacki said to make sure you are not overfeeding your pet and that it gets enough exercise.
“A lot of it is checking your bag or cans of food,” she said. “They’ll give what you should be giving per day to your dog for their weight.”
She said to also be conscientious of feeding your pets snacks.
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“...If you are in a household like mine – there are four of us – the dogs are getting snacks left and right. By the end of the day maybe they had 20.”
To avoid overfeeding them, she suggests having a little jar set aside with their snacks for the day and to stop giving them snacks once it’s empty.
And, to really help your pets start off the new year on the right paw, Karwacki suggests investing in a coat and booties to protect their paws from the winter temperatures and rock salt that could burn their feet.