3 ways to help your pet
Making resolutions for a healthier year in 2018? The American Veterinary Medical Association and Flagler Humane Society recommend that you include pets in your New Year's resolutions as well.
To help lead a healthier and happier year together in 2018, Dr. Mike Topper, president of the AVMA, and Dr. Andrea James of FHS recommend pet owners commit to helping their pets stick to these three resolutions:
1. Exercise more. Planning on hitting the gym more regularly in the New Year? How about also resolving to keep your pet healthy with regular exercise and activity? Dr. Topper suggests taking your dogs for more frequent and longer walks, visiting the dog park to get some more active play and socialization, or signing up for agility course training. You can get your cat moving with new toys and games that will encourage her to run and jump.
“Walking you dog more often makes sense for it to receive more exercise; but indoor cats can benefit significantly just from a simple toy or two and daily interaction,” said Dr. James. “Having ‘recess’ time with your cat can get them moving, stimulate their mind and improve their overall health.”
2. Eat healthier. Will you be committing to eating healthier in 2018? Would your pets benefit from that same commitment? Dr. Topper says watching what our pets eat can help them maintain a healthy weight and add years to their lives. There are a number of steps you can take to improve your pet's diet, such as eliminating table scraps and fattening, high-calorie treats; keeping food treats to a minimum and focusing on healthier food and treats; and not giving in to those sad, begging eyes.
“Losing only a single pound or two can make a huge difference in your pet’s health,” said Dr. James. “Getting rid of people food is often the best place to start, but there are many healthier brands and kinds of pet food you can switch to that can help as well.”
3. Schedule a visit to the veterinarian. Visiting your doctor regularly for check-ups is an important way to stay healthy and catch illnesses and injuries early before they become a bigger problem. The same goes for our pets. Since our pets can't schedule their own checkups, resolve to take your pets in for regularly scheduled wellness exams and work with your veterinarian on a plan to keep your pets as healthy as possible.
Low-cost wellness clinics are offered weekly at FHS and vaccine clinics are twice a month. You can schedule a visit for only $19.99, and other services are offered after that on an ala carte basis. You can call the shelter at 386-445-1814 for details.
Jeffery Ritter is development coordinator at Flagler Humane Society and can be reached at jritter@flaglerhumanesociety.org. Flagler Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1980. For more information, go to flaglerhumanesociety.org