Suzanne J LawsonOwning a Pet and Managing your Health
Updated: Feb 19
Sunday 20 February, Love Your Pet Day #LoveYourPetDay
Before I was blessed as a dog owner I think I was perhaps a little OCD. I liked my home to be spotless. Carpets hoovered, beds made (like the way they do in a hotel!), the bathroom sparkling and muddles away and dishes washed and dried.
Now my priority is to be out walking the girls. Making sure they are fed and watered at the appropriate time. They are able to live the life of a dog in their home (within reason!).
I've embraced untidiness. Some days (are you ready?), I don't even make the bed! I've learnt to let go of needing everything to be perfect. I want to make time for them. I'd rather walk to the woods than spend 20 minutes creating a "perfect palace".
However, there are some rules that I do regularly adhere to. Here's some tips on how to make sure you maintain good health whilst owning a pet.
Wash your hands. The common sense measures that protect you from colds work for other infections too. Scrub your hands after scooping up after your dog or changing your cat’s litter box. Keep your hands away from your face after petting them.
Be mindful of food preparation. My dogs eat raw food. As a vegetarian this is quite odd for me to be preparing raw meat! They eat a mix called 80/10/10. It is 80% raw meat, 10% offal and 10% bone. They love it! To accommodate this I have a sink and fridge in my garage. I also purchased chopping board, scales and cutlery for their food preparation only. Once used, everything is cleaned at the time using anti-bacterial liquid.
Avoid bites and scratches. Train your pets to play gently. Supervise small children until they’re old enough to understand how to take care of pets.
Eliminate fleas. Some infections are caused by the insects that live on your pet’s body. Talk with your veterinarian and doctor. Give your health care providers complete information so they can treat you and your loved ones appropriately. Otherwise, they only know half the picture.
