Obesity is an epidemic among Americans. Two out of three Americans are overweight compared to about one in four Americans in the 1960s, and it's becoming an issue among their four-legged family members.
"One of the top ailments we see in pets is obesity and all the issues that go along with it," said Shawna Rutar, a veterinary technician at the Nebraska Animal Medical Center. "Joint problems, hip issues and broken bones are very common in animals and occur as a result of obesity."
Allergies are also a common ailment in many pets.
"Allergies are a big problem around this time of year, but we have several methods of treatment for different types of allergies," Rutar said.
"Allergies and flea and tick bites are very common," said Lori Dowling, a veterinary technician at Capital Animal Clinic in Lincoln.
Both Dowling and Rutar said they believe it is important for student pet owners to be knowledgeable and proactive in taking care of their pets.
"We highly recommend preventative health care in treating animals," Dowling said.
"One thing I think is very important for pet owners to know is that cats can't be treated for heartworm after they get it. Heartworm can be fatal. For this reason, cats require year-round treatments to prevent heartworm," Rutar said.
She also believes pet owners often overlook the importance of obedience training.
"Behavior training is so important, both for owners and their pets. It can be started (when your pet is as young) as eight weeks," Rutar said.
It is also important to spay and neuter your animals to keep pets healthy and more comfortable and prevent unintended offspring.
"This will decrease the chances of mammary cancer in females and decrease aggression and roaming in males," said Rutar.
Rutar is an advocate for researching dog breeds before deciding which pooch to purchase.
"It seems that people often select a breed without much research. The problems they then experience are typical of the particular breed and could have easily been avoided," Rutar said. "You shouldn't be afraid to drill breeders with questions,"
Owning a pet can be rewarding, but it also comes with responsibilities. An owner should be prepared not only for the daily tasks involved in caring for a pet, but also the unexpected problems that may occur.
"We still get a lot of dogs in who have eaten chocolate," Rutar said. "For dogs, baker's chocolate is 600 times more toxic than other types of chocolate."
scoutrichters@dailynebraskan.com
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