Tips On Taking Care Of Your Puppy’s Health
How much are you feeding your puppy? If you are simply going from the packaging label recommendations, you may be feeding your puppy too much or too little.
Not only does a puppy need an appropriate amount of food each day, he also needs exercise. If you are increasing your puppy’s food intake, be sure to increase their amount of exercise as well so they don’t develop weight problems.
Obesity in dogs is easier to avoid than to correct. If your puppy is being overfed, start slowly reducing his food until his weight becomes acceptable. If you aren’t sure what this is, be sure to have a vet take a look. If your puppy needs to eat more, increase his food for a couple of weeks until his weight gets to where it should be, than sustain the amount.
Want to help your puppy have a healthy immune system? Keep him at a healthy weight. Dogs and puppies that are either overweight or underweight will be more likely to catch something from other dogs because their immune system is lower.
You should also check your puppy’s temperature two or three times each week. This will alert you if he is getting a fever. A dog’s temperature should be between 99.5 and 102.5 degrees.
Do you know how to take a dog’s temperature? Simply lubricate the thermometer with petroleum jelly or mineral oil before sliding it into the rectum. Not too far - about half-way will do it.
Wait three minutes then pull the thermometer out slowly and read the results. The mercury level will rise to the accurate temperature. If your puppy is running a fever, you’ll want to call your vet immediately and arrange to have him seen.
It is imperative that only a rectal thermometer be used for this purpose. Oral thermometers will most likely give a false reading. You can purchase a rectal thermometer at most pet supply stores, or ask your vet for a recommendation.
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