Every pet parent would agree that prevention is always better than treating a complex medical condition or disease. Dogs do not enjoy the same degree of medical care humans do and a lot of these diseases thus can lead to fatal results. While there are some conditions that are not easily preventable, some can be kept at bay by simply administering an oral tablet or a spot-on liquid dose.
A lot of canine diseases can be prevented by keeping your pet protected from parasites such as ticks, fleas, intestinal worms, and heartworms. There are plenty of monthly dog medications available online that can prevent these parasites and thus the diseases they carry.
While there are plenty of tonics and supplements that boost your dog’s overall health, none are as essential as the following preventives your dog needs every single month.
Intestinal Worm Medication: Intestinal worms in dogs and cats are a common and serious health threat. Roundworms and hookworms are especially dangerous as they often end up being fatal. Roundworms can quickly multiply in the gut and cause death by an intestinal blockage. Hookworms, on the other hand, can lead to severe anemia and diarrhea. Hookworm infestations are often deadly when they affect puppies. Intestinal worms are not just a threat for your pet as they can just as easily be passed on to you. Roundworms can pass from dogs to children, which may lead to toxocariasis, a disease that causes blindness. Thankfully, there are plenty of over the counter intestinal worm medications that are effective in preventing these parasites. If your dog spits out oral tablets, try a spot-on dewormer. You can also take your dog to the vet’s office for a preventive shot.
Heartworm Prevention Medication: A lot of people don’t realize that traditional worm preventives don’t always have the active ingredients to prevent heartworms. This is why it’s always important to check the packaging. Does it say it prevents heartworms? If not, then it surely does not. Not preventing heartworms can lead to heartworm disease, which in turn can lead to congestive heart failure. CHF in dogs caused by heartworms is difficult to treat and it often turns out to be deadly.
Tick and Fleas Preventive: Even if you have done little to no research about pet care, you probably know the importance of preventing fleas and ticks. These parasites not only compromise the health of your pet, but they can easily end up invading your home. They are also carriers of dozens of deadly vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesia, cat scratch disease, and others. Apart from administering a monthly spot-on dose, you should make sure to spray some anti-flea and anti-tick spray every time you take your dog for long walks.
Joint Support Supplements: Some dogs are genetically predisposed to develop joint issues such as osteoarthritis. Severe joint problems can leave your dog immobile and in extreme pain. Preventing joint problems is slightly more complex than preventing worms and fleas. The first thing you need to do is prevent obesity as it puts a lot of additional pressure on the joints. You should also consult a vet about chondroitin, glucosamine, and MSM supplementation to slow down the degeneration of your pet’s joint health.