Your pet is your sweetheart. They light up your life without even trying.

Seeing your beloved furry friend in pain or anxious can change your entire week. You’ll do anything to bring them back up to speed. Perhaps they’re a younger dog that’s been chewing up furniture out of anxiety, leaving you hundreds of dollars out of pocket. Maybe they’re a cat that’s behind on their vaccinations and has recently gotten sick. Finding the answer to this problem is as simple as visiting your local animal health services for a check-up.

Shave some of that stress away with a kindly professional by your side. While the list below isn’t a replacement for a 24 hour vet visit, it can help shed some light on what’s going on with your dog or cat.

Itchy Behavior Is Usually A Sign Of Fleas

Here’s one of the easiest to spot in a pinch. A dog or cat that keeps scratching or rubbing against the floor usually has a flea infestation. While you might be tempted to attempt a DIY method, keep in mind fleas are tougher than they look — a flea can live up to 100 days without a blood meal and can jump up to eight inches high at a time. Visiting your vet will give you access to a check-up and the very best in medical resources. That flea infestation will be a detail of the past in no time at all.

Check For Ticks In The Growing Hot Weather

It’s not just fleas you’ll have to worry about this summer. Ticks are not just bigger, they’re even more prone to spreading disease and can be incredibly insidious. Today over 38 million households own cats, with dogs just as popular and giving everyone something extra to think about. When you check your own pants or shoes for ticks, make sure to check your animals every time they come back into the house. Ticks are difficult to remove on your own and should be kept by a vet in the event of a surprise disease.

Chewing Or Clawing Furniture Is A Common Issue

Does your dog always seem to chew something up when you leave for work? How about your cat clawing on your couch or peeing in your blankets? These are common signs of separation anxiety, a mental health issue that affects animals just as much as humans. There are ways you can discourage this on your own, but a trip to the vet never hurts to make sure this isn’t a sign of something else entirely. Dog behavior training might be necessary for more extreme cases, as chewed up furniture can lead to a very strained relationship between pet and owner.

Brush Your Pet’s Teeth Frequently
‘

This is something many owners are unfamiliar with, thanks to misconceptions about pet health. Just like we do, pets need their teeth brushed to keep oral health issues at bay. A study on the health issues affecting dogs and cats found up to 80% of the former and 70% of the latter show dental disease by the age of three. This can lead to periodontal disease, a difficult gum condition that causes sensitivity and bleeding. Brushing with a large toothbrush after meals is a great way to loosen up plaque and remove stuck food.

Dog Behavior Training Can Help Reduce Frustration

Asking for help doesn’t make you a bad dog owner. It makes you a resourceful and thoughtful person who wants the best possible relationship with a pet. Dog behavior training provides you the opportunity to train and discipline your animal with the guidance of an experienced professional. This is also a great way to learn how to introduce a dog to a cat, as the last thing you want is a fight! Ask your animal vets about vaccinations and dog behavior training courses next time you visit.

A healthy pet creates a healthy family. Ask your friendly animal hospital in Tucscon about what your pet could be missing so you can both enjoy this summer in style.