Are Fats and Oils Good for Your Dog’s Health?

Fats are usually associated with heart diseases which is why there is a consensus that it is unhealthy. However, certain types of fat can be beneficial to your pets’ diets. There are several benefits of good fats which makes them a favorable nutrient to be added to your dog’s diet. When eaten moderately and appropriately for the body’s metabolic needs, fats are essential to good health and survival. Without fat in your pet’s diet, its fur, immune system, brain, skin, eyes, and blood cells may get affected.

Why are fats important?

Dogs require good-quality fat especially if they are in cold climates or do strenuous physical work such as lots of energy running or hiking, racing long distances, or herding cows and sheep.
Higher fat diets during winters will keep your pets warmer and improve their stamina to adapt to the cold and wind.
Omega-3 oils like fish oils can reduce inflammation in your pet’s body and protect against conditions like arthritis, heart disease or even cancer by producing hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. Similarly, Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties, and it also offers protection against antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal infections.
Fats serve as an important building block in canine body.
They provide energy and are essential for normal growth and function of body cells, muscles nerves, and body tissues.

So, if you wish to maintain a healthy skin, coat and digestive system of your pet, it would be a great idea to introduce healthy fats to his diet.

How to balance fat in your pet’s diet?

Fats make the food of your pets more flavorful and smell good. So, when fat is added to a dog food formula in the right amount, it not just keeps your dog healthy, it also makes the food tastier for your dog. Pet owners must, however, know that not every fat or oil is good for our pets. The source, quality, type, and quantity of fat needs to be carefully examined before feeding your pet. Like all ingredients in healthy, balanced dog food diets, fats and oils must be added in suitable proportions. A high-quality dog food with about 10-15% fat is appropriate for a normal adult dog with moderate activity. So, start adding small amounts of fat to your dog’s diet slowly and increase it gradually to notice changes in your dog’s health and coat.

Walk-in to VETLAB and get the Preventive Health Check up and diagnosis done.

Schedule your dog’s blood test NOW!

In times of health troubles, we go rushing to the doctor with hopes of returning just fit and fine. The same follows for our lovely dogs. When we see our fur ball with their shiny little eyes, larger than life grin and energy that could put RedBull to shame; all we wish for is good health for the apple of our eyes. But, what do we do to ‘keep them’ healthy for future?

Why Blood Tests?

Aside from providing your dog with nutritional diet, health supplements, rigorous physical exercises, and training, there’s one big thing we usually miss out on. Regular veterinarian visits! They are inevitable, absolute must and your utmost responsibility as a dog owner. Preventive Blood Tests are critical to foresee any ailment or deficiency.

In case of healthy looking, young dogs it’s advisable to get blood tests done every once in a while to kill the chances of any potential illness. For senior dogs, there’s generally more than one disease affecting them at a time. Blood tests help pinpoint the exact cause of depleting health of older dogs and what should be done to averse the situation.

In other words, regular blood tests for your dog help determine their health graph and analyze how certain treatments affect or improve your pet’s health. This helps in better understanding your dog’s immune system better.

What is a Blood Test?

A blood test sample of your dog is collected and analyzed to check for many problems. Some of the results show the following details.

Complete Blood Cell Count (CBC) provides important information about the types and number of blood cells in your dog’s blood.

Blood Chemistry Profile brings to light the movements of various body parts (e.g. liver, kidneys), blood sugar etc. In case any such abnormalities are spotted, experts at VetLab can chalk out the future course of medication to ensure speedy recovery and best health.

Transparency in Blood Tests

Dog owners often worry about costs associated with tests, which is natural. But isn’t it better to spend a few extra bucks for tests now than spends thousands on treatments later? Hell, yes! At VetLab, we ensure full value for your money by providing you with the most detailed and informative results that help you draw your future course of action in collaboration with the veterinarian.

You can always reach out to our team of experienced and well-trained doctors at VetLab for clarity on any aspect of your dog’s health and medications. Avail world class facilities for conducting regular and specialized tests only at VetLab.

25 signs to identify if your cat is in pain

Over thousands of years of natural selection, cats have mastered the ability to mask their pain. If not observed carefully, it’s very easy to overlook your cat’s strange behavior caused due to mental or physical pain. For a better understanding of pain, we must know that it has two components: the sensory aspect (intensity, location, and duration) and the affective aspect (emotional toll).

While pets and their owners develop a shared language, it’s sometimes beyond human understanding to decode a cat’s misery. For assessment of pain in cats requires the owners to closely observe any change in behavior, attitude or physical activities of the cat. This way it’s easy to at least spot the problem even before it begins to take a toll on your kitty. A British study recently concluded 25 signs that can be relied upon to indicate pain in cats. In other words, if your cat is doing any of the following, it’s time to call VetLab for expert assistance.

Lameness
Difficulty jumping
Abnormal gait
Reluctance to move
Reaction to palpation [applying light pressure with the hands]
Withdrawn or hiding
Absence of grooming
Playing less
Appetite decrease
Overall activity decrease
Less rubbing toward people
General Mood
Temperament
Hunched-up posture
Shifting of weight
Licking a particular body region
Lower head posture
Blepharospasm [squinting]
Change in form of feeding behavior
Avoiding bright areas
Growling
Groaning
Eyes closed
Straining to urinate
Tail flicking

Remember, the above listed behavioral changes are just tools to spot the red flag but only well practiced, expert veterinarians should be trusted with your cat’s health. Any of these 25 signs or a combination of a few confirms presence of pain in your cat.

The key aspect here is that indication of no such sign is also call for trouble. Cats need special attention and guided veterinarian’s assistance on a regular basis, and not only when any of the above signs are noticed in kitty’s behavior. With these signs, it’s possible to assess and diagnose cat’s pain for both, the owner and veterinarians.

In cases, where signs show a prolonged frequency, immediately consult your veterinarian. For advanced tests, specialized pet tests, you can reach us at +011-66-448-448 or visit www.vetlab.in for better assistance.

Happy aging for your senior dog: Tips to follow!

A dog that passes the age of seven earns ‘senior’ title in the family. Owning a dog can come with its own set of responsibilities which differ with the age of each dog..

Our dogs grow from cute, squeaky puppies to ferocious, protective beasts and then one day they just can’t be any of that because age happens. The test of true love is seeing your furball grow fragile and meek with age. But we, as pet owners can ensure a happy, healthy and graceful aging process for our four-legged friends by taking good care of their health and well being.

Thanks to all the veterinarian advances in the world, our adorable dogs live longer than they used to. But that also brings a whole new set of aging problems for our dogs. Senior dogs require detailed attention and proper medical care while the same isn’t true for a healthy young dog. A few care tips for starters are listed below.

Watch your dog’s weight

It’s easy to over-feed them out of love but more weight leads to more problems. Over-weighing can cause weakening of joints causing arthritis and other obesity-related diseases. Ensuring a balanced diet is the key to a healthy lifestyle for a senior dog.

Keeping your pet active

They may not be as active as before but they certainly need some exercising to do. Keep the duration and level of physical activity between easy to mild. Practice basics like ‘Come’, ‘Go’ and ‘Sit’ a couple of times a day.

Take supplements

Very much like humans, aging dogs require health supplements. To ensure strong bones, heavy fur coat and proper eating habits, seek precautionary help in the form of body tests at VetLab. We carefully examine your dog’s health through world class machinery that provides most accurate results related to your dog’s body. You can contact us here.

Visit the Vet

It’s almost like shooting in the dark when taking care of senior dogs. You never know what part of their body is slowly giving up. A complete health check-up every six-month is suggested for senior dogs. Schedule your dog’s body tests at VetLab. We are just a call away.

Don’t give up!

Even if mobility restricts your dog from doing their favorite activities, do not lose hope. Shower them with love and bring all their favorites right to them. Unconditional love for your furball surpasses every medication and ailment in the world.

Keep your dog happy during their senior years to ensure a happy and blissful life for the family. If you have any questions regarding your older dog’s heath, contact us @ +011-66-448-448.

Author: Vetlabadmin