Taking care of pets

Loved by many and adopted by a handful of others, pets form an integral part of most households today. If for anything their unfettered loyalty and commitment to members of their families further cement their status as worthy members of the family unit. And just as it is natural to take care of and love family members, it is also important to demonstrate such care and love towards pets, because after all, they too have feelings.

• Shelter

Number one on the how to care for your pet list is providing a comfortable structure for housing your pet. Just like you need shelter from the elements, your pet also needs a suitable place to call home. Depending on the kind of pet and your preference such structure can be located internally or externally. Either way, ensure it’s well designed to accommodate and protect your pet from any elemental assault.

• Feeding

Proper nutrition is essential to the overall health and wellbeing of your pets. A well-fed pet is a happy pet, with heightened resistance to infections and diseases. Proper feeding requires you the pet owner to have a background of the appropriate diet regimen of your pet. Avoid feeding your pet with scrap and leftover meals, not only is there a higher chance for such feed to be contaminated, but it is also common knowledge that pets are incompatible with certain human foods. Another noteworthy tip is to slowly introduce and transition your pet to a new diet, as unlike humans who are able to consume chicken chilies one moment and jump onto ice creams in the next one, the digestive system of most animals are not particularly suited to handle such dramatic changes

• Hygiene

Like proper feeding, good hygiene is another sure-fire way to cut down visits to the vet. Create a suitable site for your pets to pass out excreta, and train them to use such a place; If you’re able to condition them into using an actual toilet, all the better. It is imperative that you regularly clean and disinfect your pet's housing and ‘mini-toilets’ to rid them of harmful pathogens that might have found refuge there.

If you have a furry pet, make a habit of bathing and combing it routinely. Also ensure you regularly screen for parasites like fleas, ticks, etc.

• Health

Health is wealth, as a healthy pet means lesser hours at vet’s office and invariably more money kept in your pocket (or bank, or piggy box, or underground safe depending on how rich you are). Make it a point of contact to undergo routine check-ups and tests for your pets, if possible sign up for pet insurance, that way you are well protected from any eventualities. If you detect any change in behavior, be sure to consult a vet to screen for possible ailments, a stitch in time they say saves nine (and contrary to popular opinion your pet cat doesn’t have nine lives, just one, I’ve confirmed).

Exercise

Typically because of their reclusive nature (when compared to animals in the wild), pets are not partaking in as much activity as is necessary. Routine exercise is one way to make up for this lack of physical activity to potentiate optimal fitness. So when next you are going on that doctor recommended morning jog, take your pet dog or cat with you, and if you have something like a hamster an exercise wheel might come in handy.