Regular vet visits are important for any dog, but they are essential for an older or elderly dog due to the many different health issues that they are prone to developing. Listed below are three reasons to take your older dog to the vet regularly.
To Keep Your Dog's Teeth Clean
One of the biggest reasons to take your older dog to the vet regularly is to keep your dog's teeth clean, which is sadly something that is very much neglected by many dog owners. The reason that this is so important is that poor dental hygiene can result in your dog ending up in a lot of pain due to teeth that may be developing cavities or rotting.
In addition, having poor dental hygiene also means a lot of bacteria can develop in your dog's mouth, which can then spread into the rest of the dog's body and affect their internal organs. This is extremely dangerous for elderly dogs in particular because their immune systems are typically much weaker than a younger and healthier dog.
To Extend Your Dog's Life
One of the essential reasons to take your older dog to the vet regularly is that it will allow you to extend your dog's life, mostly because the vet will be able to provide a number of recommendations that can extend your dog's lifespan. For example, if you let your vet know that one of your primary concern is keeping your older dog around as long as possible, they will be able to provide you with a treatment plan that will keep the dog in the best possible health, such as by keeping the dog's weight under control and feeding your dog specific types of foods and supplements that will increase the dog's energy and improve the dog's immune system.
To Improve Your Dog's Quality Of Life
Finally, it is very important to take your older dog to the vet regularly in order to ensure that your dog's quality of life is as comfortable and satisfactory as possible. This is extremely beneficial for your dog because as they get older, they are going to develop more aches and pains that can result in them losing quite a bit of energy and being unable to be as active as they need to be in order to remain in shape and to stay healthy.
In many cases, taking your older dog to the vet will allow the vet to have the opportunity to determine if your dog is suffering from arthritis or other conditions that can cause joint pain and discomfort, at which point the vet will be able to provide a number of suggestions for supplements or medications that you can give your dog that will alleviate that joint pain and help your dog become more active and comfortable again.
Make an appointment with a local veterinarian or animal hospital in order to have your older or elderly dog examined and to ensure that your dog remains in good health for a very long time. Keeping your dog's teeth clean, extending your dog's life, and improving your dog's quality of life are just a few of the essential reasons to take your older dog to the vet regularly.
