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Pet Care Tips For New Animal Owners

If your family has come to the decision to add a pet to the household, it will be important to make sure that you are taking the necessary steps to keep your pet healthy and happy. While this may not be a particularly demanding responsibility, there are some key factors that are often overlooked by new pet owners, and this can potentially lead to problems for their animal.

Keep Your Pet Hydrated

Dehydration is a common problem for pets. While pets that spend most of their time outdoors can be at a particularly high risk of encountering this problem, it is also possible for indoor pets to become dehydrated. A common reason for this occurring can be the animal failing to drink enough water due to the water in their bowls being too low or of bad quality. If the water level is too low, the bowl may interfere with the pet's whiskers, which can lead to the animal assuming it is unable to reach the water. Additionally, if the water has an unusual odor or taste, there is a high chance that the animal will resist drinking it. To help your animal stay hydrated, you should regularly check their water bowl to ensure that it is sufficiently full, and you will want to change the water at least once a day. This will ensure that the animal has access to a suitable water source at all times.

Have Your Pet Undergo A Yearly Comprehensive Exam

A yearly comprehensive examination can be another important part of keeping your pet healthy. As with your own health needs, a yearly physical exam can allow for a number of health issues to be found and addressed before they are able to worsen enough to create complications for the animal. During the examinations, the pet will be physically checked by the veterinarian, and there will be bloodwork done on the pet to ensure that the animal is healthy.

Monitor Your Pet's Weight

Overfeeding a pet is a mistake that many owners will make. While your pet will likely always be willing to beg for more food, it is important to limit the amount that the animal can eat. A pet that is severely overweight can be prone to developing diabetes, heart disease, and kidney problems. In addition to always feeding the animal the same amount of food, you may also want to periodically weigh your animal. Ideally, this should be done with a special scale that is designed for small animals, you can get a rough approximation of the weight of your pet by using your own bathroom scale. By taking your weight first and then weighing again while holding the animal, you can fairly accurately approximate the weight of your pet.