One important criteria of canine blood donation is the health of the donor dog. Just like humans, donor dogs need to be in good health to ensure their safety, and to also prevent any unwarranted transmission of conditions to the recipient dogs. As paw-rents, the health and happiness of our furry friends will always be top of mind, which is why we compiled 6 top tips to help maintain your dog’s overall health and wellness. Here’s a comprehensive guide to ensuring your dog stays healthy and ready for their blood donation, while living their best life.
Over 56% of pets are overweight or obese, which is a worrying statistic when you consider how obesity is a precursor to health issues like diabetes and cancer.
Dogs have something like a Body Mass Index (BMI) too, known as the Body Conditioning Score (BCS), which is what you’ll need to maintain to keep your dog healthy. A BCS of 5 is ideal and suggests healthiness, while anything above 5 indicates an overweight status.
💡 Tip: Maintain a holistic diet plan for your dog, as well as an active lifestyle, to ensure your dog keeps a healthy weight. This can look like feeding your dog at fixed times rather than freely, or integrating regular exercise into your dog’s daily routine. Source
Beyond implementing regular physical exercise for your dog, make sure your dog is getting consistent mental stimulation.
The type of exercises your dog needs will vary according to their age and health condition, so do tailor it accordingly. For example, it’s usually not recommended to engage a puppy in more vigorous activities, such as prolonged jogging, until around 15 months old.
💡 Tip: For adult dogs, a regular physical exercise routine can look like daily walks or swimming, to activities like jump training. You can also piece together a mental workout for your dog, such as going on sniff walks, engaging in interactive playtime, or practicing obedience cues, to establish a more comprehensive routine. Source
For a balanced diet, experts suggest giving good quality commercial foods to your dog; but you can also consider adding superfoods, such as ginger and coconut oil, to boost your dog’s vitality. Avoid overfeeding and steer clear of foods that could be harmful to dogs, such as chocolate, grapes, and onions
💡 Tip: For easier meal planning, use this detailed breakdown of what a balanced diet would look like (Source):
Make sure to prepare the meals properly and measure the portions carefully before feeding your dog.
For adult dogs, also schedule annual veterinarian visits. A veterinarian visit will usually comprise comprehensive health assessments that go beyond what you can do at home, and is therefore crucial to maintaining a dog’s health.
💡 Tip: Bring your dog to the veterinarian more frequently if your dog is a puppy or a senior dog. Experts suggest senior dogs, for example, to visit the veterinarian twice every year, to better monitor for their health.
To prevent unwanted systemic diseases, regular vaccinations and the administering of parasite control medication are a must. These measures protect your dog against diseases such as canine distemper, which can be fatal, and heartworm, which can be life-threatening.
💡 Tip: Core vaccinations against parovirus, canine distemper, adenovirus, and parainfluenza are essential and usually administered when young. Some vaccines, like the parainfluenza vaccine, need to be followed up with annually as a booster shot. Talk to your veterinarian to understand which vaccines need to be taken regularly. Source
💡 Tip: Preventative medication for heartworm should also be administered monthly for your dog, and can be taken in the form of oral chewables or topical medication. Beyond heartworm medication, other types of parasite control medication you can consider administering are for tick and flea prevention, as well as tapeworms. Source
It’s recommended to regularly groom your dog and help them practice proper dental hygiene to ensure their peak health. Regular bathing, brushing, nail trimming, and ear cleaning are essential grooming tasks. But beyond that, also take the time to regularly inspect your dog's fur for signs of fleas, ticks, or skin irritations. Bad breath is no accident, so if you notice that on your dog, that could be a sign something is off.
💡 Tip: Take preventative measures to avoid dental disease by brushing your dog’s teeth regularly. Alternatively, give your dog dental chews to chow on; they are more palatable while fulfilling the goal of freshening your dog’s breath and reducing plaque. Source
By incorporating these tips into your dog's life, you not only ensure their health and happiness, but also help prepare them for a successful blood donation experience. Your furry friend's wellbeing should always be the top priority, even as they are making a difference to the life of a fellow canine in need!
https://www.redcross.org.au/firstaid/pet-first-aid/vet-blog-pet-first-aid/
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&catId=102902&id=7339278
Jinghui Lean
