Home medical care is important to the health of your pet. This type of care consists of a combination of prevention, maintenance and treatment of mild conditions. There are conditions, however, that are more serious and should be treated by a veterinarian. Luckily, most dogs who receive proper home medical care require less intervention by veterinarians and enjoy healthier lives.
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Parasite Prevention
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One of the most important steps in giving your dog adequate home medical care is preventing illness and disease. Worms, fleas and ticks are the major types of organisms that can cause problems for your animal if not prevented. You can prevent intestinal worms and heart worms by keeping your dog on a regular regimen of worm-prevention medicine. Tablets such as Heartgard can be given once a month to ward off worms. Also, make sure your dog's food, water and bedding are clean. You can reduce the likelihood of having fleas and ticks prey upon your pet by using a once-monthly flea and tick prevention medication that kills existing parasites and their eggs. One popular form of such medication is Frontline's Top Spot, which is a liquid that is applied to your dog's back between its shoulder blades once a month. Also, wash your dog regularly and treat your yard for fleas and ticks, if necessary. Spray-on products work well as a one-time remedy for killing live fleas and ticks on your animal.
Maintenance
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Regular checkups with a veterinarian are the best way to maintain your dog's health. A veterinarian will examine your dog to make sure no health problems exist and will give your pet the vaccinations that it needs to prevent certain diseases, such as rabies and parvo. Another way to maintain good health in your dog is to make sure it receives adequate nutrition, water, exercise and grooming, as well as proper teeth-cleaning. You can clean your pet's teeth with special dog toothpastes and brushes found in your local pet supply store. You also may need to have your dog's teeth cleaned more extensively periodically by your veterinarian. As for grooming, regularly keep your dog's nails trimmed and its ears clean. A cotton ball soaked in mineral oil is good for removing dirt and debris from the ears, which helps to prevent infections.
Home Treatments
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Occasionally, your pet may become ill or injured and require special care at home. If you have the slightest suspicion that an injury or illness may be serious, always take your dog to the veterinarian first to receive a proper diagnosis and treatment method. Follow your veterinarian's directions once you take your animal home. This may include regularly administering oral medication, applying topical medicine and bandages and making sure your dog's activities are limited during recovery. For minor scrapes and abrasions, apply an antiseptic such as hydrogen peroxide. Then be sure to keep the area clean. Some veterinarians recommend products like Bag Balm to aid in the healing process with minor cuts and scrapes.
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