A long, healthy life for your beloved four-legged friend: that's what all pet owners want. We as can openers and pack leaders hope that our furry friends. are by our side for as long as possible and are spared from illnesses. In fact, it is in our own hands how the health of our pets develops - at least to a certain extent. Because dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and budgerigars are in our care. Our animal roommates depend on us to take good care of them and provide them with everything they need for a species-appropriate life. This also includes health care, including regular vaccinations and check-ups at the vet.
Responsible pet owners know their protégés very well. They observe their darlings and register every change in the animal's behavior and appearance. Does the guinea pig noticeably withdraw from its peers? Does the cat refuse its food? Does the dog have a bald spot on its fur? All of these are good reasons to visit your trusted veterinarian immediately. Because the same applies to four-legged patients as to two-legged patients: the sooner an illness is recognized and treated, the better. This can prevent the symptoms from getting worse and possibly avoid a serious secondary disease.
protect vaccinations
Many pets are masters at hiding pain and other ailments. No wonder: In the wild, sick rabbits and cats would be easy prey for predators. For this reason, we should take our pets to the vet once a year for a routine health check. During the check-up, the veterinarian checks the general condition of the fur nose: He listens to the heart and lungs, measures the body temperature and takes a look at the gums and teeth. In the case of older dogs and cats, a blood and urine test is also recommended in order to discover any ailments in the animal seniors as early as possible.
Of course, comprehensive preventive health care also includes the various vaccinations. Some serious, sometimes fatal infectious diseases such as rabbit plague and distemper can be prevented with a small spade.
Your vet will know which other vaccinations are advisable for your animal. You know the current recommendations of the Standing Veterinary Vaccination Committee (StIKoVet.) and also the living conditions of your four-legged friend. Is the cat an outdoor cat? Are there other animals in the household?
These factors can influence the need for vaccinations.
Protection against parasites
Another important pillar of pet health care is protection from parasites. Pests such as ticks, fleas and tapeworms are not only annoying - they can also cause serious illnesses. For example, a tick bite can transmit fours that cause Lyme disease. The result can be chronic inflammation of the joints. Fleas, on the other hand, can transmit cucumber seed tapeworm. This is an intestinal parasite that can also infect humans, especially children.
So what to do? Acute parasite infestation should of course be treated immediately, for example with a wormer. It is a well-known fact that prevention is even better than follow-up care. Dogs and cats can be protected from ticks , fleas, mites and worms with suitable prophylaxis. Combination preparations are usually used, which are applied to the animal's neck as spot-on medication. From there, the active ingredient is distributed over the entire body of the fur nose without the agent licking it away. You can find out from your veterinarian which parasite prophylaxis is recommended for your darling. Because the principle also applies to protection against ticks and the like: as much as necessary, as little as possible.
Look in the bowl
In addition to regular veterinary checks and protection through vaccinations and parasiticides, there is another factor that affects the health of our pets - proper nutrition.
An example: many four-legged friends put on weight after castration, which puts a strain on the joints and the cardiovascular system. Veterinarians advise adapting the feeding to the individual needs of each animal - and above all to slowly and species-appropriately reducing excess weight. When choosing the right food, for example, the age, the activity level and any previous illnesses of the fur nose play an important role.
Your veterinarian can tell you which wet or dry food is suitable for your darling. You may also be referred to a specialist veterinary practice that specializes in nutritional issues. Just like us humans, pet nutrition is a complex issue that often lacks one-size-fits-all solutions. What is healthy for one four-legged friend may not suit the other at all. Many veterinarians are critical of the BARF nutrition trend, i.e. feeding dogs and cats raw meat. Because pet owners can do a lot wrong here. If the mixture of meat, vitamins, minerals and trace elements is not optimally tailored to the fur nose, there is a risk of deficiency symptoms.
If you still want to try raw feeding, you should get comprehensive advice from your veterinarian and have the change in diet accompanied by veterinary medicine.
sports and games
Animal lovers should not forget that a species-appropriate, disease-preventive attitude also includes sufficient exercise and activity. Dogs want to be mentally and physically busy and, depending on the breed, they want to be kept on their toes with nose work or draft dog sports, for example.
Cats, especially indoor tigers, want to live out their hunting instinct and, for example, catch small plush mice or cushions filled with catnip. 
And rabbits and guinea pigs also need variety. Your small animal shelter should be well structured with things like fresh branches, leaves, and cork tubes. The daily free run and living together with other animals is a must for these active, sociable animals - otherwise there is a risk of behavioral problems and diseases.
Enabling pets to live a long, happy life is not difficult at all - if we find out about their individual needs in good time and keep our furry friends species-appropriate.
