I don't often make New Year’s resolutions, but as I was giving Kharma his medicine and getting ready for a walk, I started thinking about next year and what 2011 would bring us “pet parents”. 2010 has been a challenge, but Kharma has always been there with his smiling face, wagging tail and his never-ending need to wake me up at 6:30 am ... every day.
Before I go into our New Year's Resolutions, this a little about what's been going on with his health. Kharma recently had some back issues. Right after Thanksgiving, he had trouble climbing into the car. After 24 hrs. of monitoring him, I took him to his vet. After an exam and an x-ray, it was discovered that part of the his spinal discs are moving slightly into his spinal cord. He's on bed rest with little walking and movement. This has been challenging, because his medicine (to make the pain go away) is working so good, that he wants to play a lot. We'll be going back to the vet shortly to follow-up and I'll let you know how it goes. So far, he's doing good.
Exercise - Walk your dog(s) daily or get a great dog walker. PetLover’s Magazine is a great resource. Even with his back injury, is limited right now, but will be back walking a lot ... soon. Walking is great for dog and their owners. Get your cats moving too. They love to play in boxes and love chasing laser lights. Set a schedule and mark it on your calendar. There’s still time to order a “Last Paw Standing” 2011 calendar.
Health Checkups - Get regular health check ups. Annual exams of teeth, heart/lungs and overall body condition cost then waiting for a problem to develop. Plus, if your pet starts acting very different from their normal routine, that is a sign to watch them closely and if their behavior doesn't recent to normal soon, take them in for a check-up.
Good Nutrition - Know what’s in your pet’s diet. Read the labels on your pet's food. "Real" food should be the first 5 ingredients. If you can't pronounce it ... maybe you should investigate what's in their food. Pets who eat poor quality food just don't have the health reserves than those that a good balanced diet.
Good Grooming - No one wants to be around a stinky pet. Regular grooming -- bathing, toe nail clips, brushing out coat, parasite control -- not only make the pet more pleasing to be around, it is much healthier for the pet!
Safety - Keeping pets safe is something most pet owners take for granted. Look at the cleaners in your household. Make sure they’re away from kids (and of course, all children in your household). Use green products whenever you can. Make sure your pets can’t access these items. Think too about enclosures for pets? Are they secure? "Put Household Waste in its Place", created by the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation.
Have fun - With all the stress of the holidays from shopping, traffic, house guests, etc ... your pets can feel overwhelmed too. Play with them. That will help relieve your stress as well as your pets.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year.
Kharma and I are looking forward to a wonderful 2011!
