National Pet Wellness Month

Covering Everything You Need To Know About Pet Wellness, Why It’s Important, And How To Keep Your Pets Happy & Healthy

One of the most important things in life is your physical & mental health. This applies to your pets too. Pet health is a very important subject, yet it is often overlooked or misunderstood by many pet owners. That’s why the month of October is widely celebrated as National Pet Wellness Month. This pet-themed awareness based holiday aims to educate pet owners about the importance of pet health and the best ways to keep your pets’ happy & healthy. This article will discuss National Pet Wellness Month and the best ways to improve your pets health & wellbeing.  

How It All Started

Like most pet-themed holidays, National Pet Wellness Month comes from humble beginnings. What initially started as a clinic-centered program has become a full blown month-long holiday. The A.V.M.A. (American Veterinary Medical Association) founded the holiday in hopes of promoting pet health & wellness year round. While most pet owners love their pets, not all of them are educated on what is and isn’t healthy for their pets. 

National Pet Wellness Month aims to educate pet owners about the importance of pet health & wellness and how to provide the best care possible for their pets. This holiday takes place throughout the entire month of October, but encourages good pet health practices throughout the whole year. Thousands of veterinary clinics across the U.S. are participating in National Pet Wellness Month by handing out free in-clinic education kits. These education kits contain pet health literature and other materials to help educate clients about pet health, pet aging, and the importance of routine veterinary exams. 

The Beginning Of Pet Wellness Programs

National Pet Wellness Month was not the first pet wellness program. The first ever pet wellness program was called PetFit. PetFit is what laid the foundation for future pet wellness programs/holidays like National Pet Wellness Month. It was created in 2002 and founded by Purdue University and sponsored by the National Research Council of the National Academies. The goal of PetFit was to help improve overall pet health across the U.S. by offering dog weight management services. The program itself was a tremendous success.

Purdue University later conducted a study on the overweight dogs who participated in the PetFit program. This study revealed that the overweight dogs who participated in PetFit lost 14% of their body weight in only 12 weeks. Furthermore, a follow-up survey the following year showed that 74% of those dogs had maintained their new weight. These studies prove that the problem of overweightness & obesity in pets can be solved with a simple change of diet, nutrition, and exercise. It’s simply a matter of knowing how and why to do it. 

Improving Your Pet’s Wellness

While we are not veterinarians, we are professionals when it comes to pet care. Here are a few examples of ways you can improve your pets’ overall health and well being. First, monitor and control your pet’s weight. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention reports that over 50% of dogs and over 60% of cats in the U.S. are overweight. Maintaining a healthy weight is an essential part of any pet’s health and will lower the chances of developing a disease or health problem. 

Exercise

For dogs, we recommend taking them on routine walks as this will provide the exercise they need to maintain a healthy weight. Since you can’t walk cats, we recommend engaging & promoting physical exercise on a daily basis instead. This includes playing, running around the house, or using a laser pointer for them to chase. Any extra cardio will help them maintain a healthy weight. 

Diet & Nutrition

Additionally, it’s important to pay attention to what your pets are eating. Be sure to look at the ingredients list of your pet’s food and avoid products with unhealthy ingredients like corn & wheat gluten, food dyes, and meat by-products. For more information on what to look for on pet food nutrition labels, click here. Additionally, you can also consult with your veterinarian about what the ideal diet is for your pets. Every pet is unique and may need a specific diet based on their circumstances

Routine Checkups

Lastly, it’s important to schedule out your routine checkups at your local veterinarian. Most pets should receive a routine checkup at least once a year or every six months. These routine checkups help you keep a close eye on your pets’ weight and overall health. Routine checkups also help you catch a potential health complication before it becomes a serious, untreatable problem.

Hire A Pet Sitter Or Dog Walker Today!

Speaking of pet health, your pets need routine exercise and stimulation in order to stay happy & healthy. If you don’t always have the time to provide the exercise and stimulation they need, then you should hire a professional pet sitter! When it comes to professional pet sitting, look no further than Top Dog Pet Sitting! We offer a wide variety of pet sitting services including in-home pet sitting, routine dog walking, and overnight stays. We service the Fort Worth, Benbrook, Aledo, and White Settlement, Texas areas. Click here to become a client today or give us a call at 817-249-9663.