Pet care: How to ensure a dog’s life is a healthy one

Here are some tips for keeping an eye on your dog’s health.

Coat

For any breed of dog, regardless of coat type, a weekly groom can have many benefits not only to the dog’s skin and coat but also to your relationship.

Weekly grooming can be a great bonding exercise.

Paws

With long- haired dogs check that the paws are kept trimmed and that no mats have built up in this area. Mats or items such as grass seeds caught between pads can cause discomfort.

It is important to pay attention to your dog’s nails, pads and between the pads.

Many dogs move on enough hard surfaces for their nails to naturally be kept at a good length, but if your dog only exercises on soft ground, is old or for any other reason, your dog’s nails may not get naturally filed down, you will need to get them used to having their nails cut.

Ears

Your dog’s ears should be clean and odour free with no inflammation or discharge. Long- haired dogs may need long ear hair regularly trimming. Ear mites are a fairly common parasite of dogs.

A dark granulated discharge in the ears can indicate ear mites. Also check for wax and general cleanliness of the ear.

If necessary, clean the ears carefully with special ear cleaning solutions.

Never put anything into your dog’s ear or ear canal such as human cotton buds.

If they are not designed for dogs they can seriously damage the ear structure.

A pack of Bamboo Stick Dog Ear Cleaning Kit contains a bottle of non- greasy and soothing ear cleaning solution plus vet recommended Bamboo Stick buds designed especially for the safe cleaning of your dog’s ears.

Mouth

It is important to check your dog’s teeth, breath and gums.

Bad dog breath can be a sign of tooth decay, gum disease or intestinal problems. Unpleasant dog breath is not to be expected and should always be investigated further.

When checking gums, they should be pale pink and the colour should return when gently pressed.

Check for inflammation, odour, or any redness.

Teeth should be inspected for general condition, looking in particular for any broken teeth and plaque build- up.

A frighteningly high percentage of pets are in urgent need of dental treatment.

This means that they are walking around with infection and inflammation in their mouths which can spread to affect the whole body including the heart, kidneys and liver.

It is important to remember that most dental disease is treatable and certainly the vast majority of dental disease is preventable.

Eyes

Your dog’s eyes should look clear and bright with no discharge or inflammation.

As your dog gets older, check for cataracts, which are a very common eye complaint in older age. Cataracts shows as a cloudy lens. As dogs age they all develop a hardening of the lens that causes it to have a greyish appearance.

This is not a cataract, and does not usually interfere with vision.

However, a cataract will interfere with vision, from blurring to complete vision loss.

Cataracts can in fact occur at any age so if you see any cloudiness, ask your vet to make further checks.

Weight

Millions of UK dogs are obese. Obesity is thought to be a serious problem for over a third of the UK’s combined cat and dog population.

It is vitally important that you keep your dog at a sensible weight.

Obesity puts strain on the joints which, combined with reduced exercise, can lead to arthritis.

Overweight dogs can also experience stress on internal organs and body structures, they can be at risk if undergoing surgery, are at increased risk of suffering from diabetes, heart and kidney problems, heat intolerance, and have a reduced life expectancy.

Genetics, age, appetite, activity level, reproductive status and the gender of a dog can influence how likely they are to become obese.

As these are changing factors, checking weight is therefore an important part of your dog’s health check.

Run your hands along your dog’s body. Ideally the ribs can just be felt with no excess fat covering them, the tummy should look tucked up when viewed from the side and the waist should narrow after the ribs ( best viewed from above).

Bottom

The dog’s bottom and sexual organs should be clean and odour free. There should be no discharge. Any long bottom hair should be regularly cut short so that particles do not get caught around the anus area.

If your dog regularly has problems with anal glands, often seen by bothering or dragging the bottom accompanied by a fishy odour, speak to your vet about manual evacuation of the anal glands. You can also learn to do this at home if you prefer and if your vet agrees that it should be done regularly. Please see When and How to Empty Your Dog’s Anal Glands.

Regular inspection of your dog’s poo can give you some very valuable information about your dog’s health and whether their current diet suits them. A good stool should be firm, moist and consistent, with regular