4 Supplies Your Dog Needs to Stay Happy and Healthy

Along with plenty of attention, affection, fresh air, and exercise, there are a few other necessities dogs need to thrive. To keep dogs healthy, supply them with nutritious food to make them strong, medications to keep them healthy, and supplements to help them thrive. While it may sound like dogs require a lot, they really don’t. Just visit VPD for dog products that will help your dog stay happy and healthy.

Heartworm Medication

It’s easy to prevent a dog from getting heartworms, but it’s hard to get rid of heartworms once a dog becomes infected with them. Dogs can get heartworms if they’re bitten by an infected mosquito, and just one bite can make your dog sick. Since heartworms are found in all 50 states in the United States, it’s imperative to treat your dog with a preventative to keep him safe. Simply give your dog a pill or apply a topical treatment monthly. It’s a simple, inexpensive, effective treatment that can help keep your dog healthy for years.

Nutritious Food

Dogs need proteins, fats and carbohydrates in their diets to thrive. Proteins help them build and maintain muscle mass and keep a dog’s heart, blood, hair and immune system healthy. Fats supply your dog with energy; one gram of fat contains twice the amount of energy that one gram of protein does. A plentiful supply of fat in the diet will keep your dog’s hair, eyes and brain in good shape. Carbohydrates are also a major source of energy for dogs. Dogs can easily convert some carbohydrates into simple sugars that are readily absorbed into their bloodstreams.

Your dog’s body can’t produce vitamins and minerals by itself, so it’s important they are supplied through diet. For instance, calcium, magnesium and iron are all essential nutrients that dogs need to thrive and can only be supplied through what they eat.

The key to making sure your dog gets all the nutrients needed is to feed him a nutritious dog food that contains a good balance of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates as well as a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Supplements

Supplements can help with skin issues, arthritis, heart health, digestive problems and more, and some dogs need them to thrive. One of the most common supplements given to dogs is glucosamine. Glucosamine is a naturally-occurring sugar that cushions the joints. It’s also found in shellfish, allowing it to be created in laboratories and used in supplement form. Many veterinarians and dog owners believe a glucosamine supplement helps treat arthritis in dogs.

Fish oil is another common supplement often given to dogs. It contains omega-3 fatty acids that can help ease skin problems and improve coat health. Some research suggests that fish oil may reduce inflammation in the body, leading many dog owners to give it to their dogs for that purpose as well.

Flea and Tick Preventative

Avoiding ticks and preventing flea infestations is much easier than getting rid of them. Preventatives contain insect growth regulators that stop eggs and larvae from maturing into full-grown fleas. Since over 95 percent of the flea population exists as eggs and larvae, the insect growth regulator found in preventatives not only stops existing flea problems, but it can also prevent problems from occurring. Giving your dog a monthly flea and tick preventative will help prevent Lyme disease, tapeworms, flea allergies, skin infections and more. A flea and tick preventative will also decrease the odds of a flea infestation inside your home.

Dogs need nutritious food and the right medications to survive and thrive. If you combine these necessities with plenty of exercise, love, and attention, your dog has an excellent chance of living a long, healthy, happy life.