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A proper diet and the right dog food are what shape the habits and health of the dog your puppy will grow to become. On a fundamental level, your puppy needs nutrition, exercise, and love. But since, every dog has specific health needs, a nutritional approach must be tailored to your puppy’s size, breed, and level of activity. Because of energy and development needs, puppies require food that offers more energy than adult dog food. It’s important to remember that a dog’s needs change as it gets older. The different life stages call for varying levels of fitness, care, and nutrition.

When it comes to caring for your puppy’s health needs, your veterinarian will be your best source of information and support. It’s crucial to follow your vet’s recommendations and advice to insure a healthy life for your puppy. Starting with your puppy’s initial immunizations and boosters, a regular checkup appointment should be made every six months. Be sure to bring up questions to your vet regarding your pet’s health, including its eyesight, digestion, coat, weight, bowels, etc. Get accustomed to what’s normal and what’s not so that you can observe your dog’s health more accurately.

When the holidays come around, try to maintain as much of your puppy’s routine as possible. This includes both its environment and its activities. Use decorations that are out of reach and that won’t cause problems with your puppy, such as things that can be torn down or broken. Keep holiday treats and table scraps away from your puppy. These types of foods aren’t meant for animals and can be damaging to their digestive system. Take extra safety precautions when traveling with your puppy. Consult with your vet on how to properly prepare for any trip.

In the winter and summer seasons, your dog will need extra attention to stay both warm and cool.  Make sure your puppy is acclimated, and if it is a short-haired dog, consider a sweater for the outdoors in winter. Outdoor shelter for dogs is essential. Provide warm housing for your dog in the cold months and cool areas with shade during the summer. Limit your puppy’s time outside during the hotter months.

The kind of food you select for your dog can play an important role in your dog’s nutrition, growth, and energy. The right ingredients will help maintain your dog’s healthy teeth, skin and coat. There are plenty of concerns to address when finding the food that’s right for your dog. If you have a small breed dog, you’ll want to select a food with smaller kibble. If your dog gains weight easily, you’ll want to find a food that is low in fat and calories. There are plenty of concerns to address when finding the food that’s right for your dog. There’s no one way of approaching nutrition for dogs. It’s important to remember that a dog’s needs change as it gets older. The different life stages call for varying levels of fitness, care, and nutrition.

Since you have the right type of food for your dog, establish an appropriate amount for each meal and how often they should be served. Fashion your dog’s eating habits around nutritional guides and the recommendations from your vet, to determine which feeding model is best for your dog:

• Free choice feeding: Food is available to your dog at all times.
• Time-limited feeding: Food is available to your dog for a limited time.
• Meal feeding: A regulated amount of food is available to your dog at specific times of the day.

Keep track of your dog’s physical condition and weight. Do this every 6 months and base a cycle around the progress you see in your dog’s healthy growth.

Since dogs come in a variety of breeds and from different backgrounds, there’s no one way to approach their nutrition or exercise. For breeds that are more prone to obesity, you will want to find foods that are lower in fat and involve them in physical activities on a daily basis to keep them active. At all ages, dental hygiene is an important factor in your dog’s health. Dental options range from comprehensive home dental kits to a simple specialized food.

When the holidays come around, try to maintain as much of your dog’s routine as possible. This includes both its environment and its activities. Use decorations that are out of reach and that won’t cause problems with your dog, such as things that can be torn down or broken. Keep holiday treats and table scraps away from your dog. These types of foods aren’t meant for animals and can be damaging to their digestive system. Take extra safety precautions when traveling with your dog. Consult with your vet on how to properly prepare for any trip.

In the winter and summer seasons, your dog will need extra attention to stay both warm and cool.  Make sure your dog is acclimated, and if it is a short haired dog, consider a sweater for the outdoors. Outdoor shelter for dogs is essential. Provide warm housing for your dog in the cold months and cool areas with shade during the summer. Limit your dog’s time outside during the hotter months.

As dogs get older, their nutritional needs change as much as their health conditions. They have special digestive needs and are less active. This plays into the type of food they require. Many breeds are considered mature by the time they reach seven years old. But if your dog is a larger breed you may consider adjusting their dietary habits by the time they reach five based on their health conditions and needs.

Once you have the right type of food for your dog, establish an appropriate amount for each meal and how often they should be served. Fashion your dog’s eating habits around nutritional guides and recommendations from your vet in order to find which feeding model is best for your dog:

• Free choice feeding: Food is available to your dog at all times.
• Time-limited feeding: Food is available to your dog for a limited time.
• Meal feeding: A regulated amount of food is available to your dog at specific times of the day.

Keep track of your dog’s physical condition and weight. Fashion your dog’s eating habits around nutritional guides, a feeding model and the recommendations of your vet.

Mature dogs deal with a host of health issues that need to be attended to with quality care and specialized foods. Consult your vet about how to cater to your aging dog’s digestive and nutritional needs.

At all ages dental hygiene is an important factor in your dogs health. Dental options range from comprehensive home dental kits for cleaning your dogs teeth yourself to a simple specialized food that offers strong alternative.

In the early stages of a kitten’s life, nutrition and diet are the keys to healthy growth. A good owner will understand that their kitten’s nutritional needs change as they get older, particularly for muscle and bone development as well as their immune system. Find the right kind of food for your kitten and avoid homemade foods that lack the specific nutrients required in a cat’s diet.

Once you have the right type of cat food for your kitten, establish an appropriate amount for each meal and how often it should be served. Fashion your kitten’s eating habits around nutritional guides and the recommendations of your vet to find out which feeding model is best for your cat:

• Free choice feeding: Food is available to your kitten at all times.
• Time-limited feeding: Food is available to your kitten for a limited time.
• Meal feeding: A regulated amount of food is available to your kitten at specific times of the day.

Keep track of your kitten’s physical condition and weight. Do this every 6 months and base a cycle around the progress you see in your kitten’s healthy growth.

Another thing to keep in mind when introducing a kitten into your home is to make sure that your home is ready for a kitten. Clear your floors and open areas of paper clips, strings, staples, plastic bags and other items that could be dangerous. Make your house kitten-proof by keeping toilet lids closed and storing cleaning supplies and chemicals in locked cabinets.

Your vet will be the most important source of information regarding the health of your kitten. During the early stages of your cat’s life, make regular vet check-ups to insure that all aspects of its health are watched including its ears, eyes, nose, mouth, coat, weight, and bathroom habits.

If you want a house-friendly kitten, you need to focus your energy training its habits to an indoor lifestyle. Find the right type of litter box for your kitten and keep it in an area, preferably quiet and secluded, where the kitten will be comfortable using it. If the kitten doesn’t take to it right away, try a different litter or move it to a different area. Once you have trained it to use a litter box, any house soiling that occurs will usually indicate a health problem or confusion based on changes you’ve made to your living space.

When training a cat to use the litter box, one must practice patience. Having a cat that doesn’t pick it up the first few times is no reason to give up on the house-training process.

In its early stages, your kitten will need a lot of attention. The amount of time and type of activities you share with your kitten will shape the way it matures and influence the type of cat it becomes.

Do not resort to punishment, scolding, or physical correction when your kitten misbehaves. This will harm your relationship with it and likely cause more damage than good. If you want to adjust a behavior, use a spray bottle or a loud noise to get your kitten’s attention. Noise and discomfort will cause it to associate the behavior as negative but not harm its perception of you.

Good behavior should never be taken for granted. When you positively reinforce your kitten’s good behavior, it sees a pattern and responds to it. The more positive experiences you have with your kitten while it is young, the more social and obedient it will be as it grows up.

As the seasons change, accommodate your cat by making your home cat-friendly. Make sure that holiday treats aren’t left out, including Halloween candy and Christmas desserts. Avoid using decorations that will entice your cat’s natural instincts to claw and chew at your furnishings.

Remember that your cat is susceptible to the elements in the same way that you are. Protect your cat from the sun or snow by providing it with warm shelter, shaded areas, as well as food and water at all times.

As a cat gets older there are significant physical and environmental changes that influence its dietary needs. Exercise, shedding, digestion, and even whether they are an indoor or outdoor cat can dictate the type of food they should have. Finding the right food is a continuous process as your cat’s needs change with their life stages, and it’s up to you to fulfill those needs. While it is encouraged to be involved and practical about your cat’s diet, giving them homemade cat food or treats should be avoided due to the complex dietary requirements in cat food.

Once you have the right type of cat food for your cat, establish an appropriate amount for each meal and how often they should be served. Fashion your cat’s eating habits around nutritional guides and the recommendations of your vet to find out which feeding model is best for your cat:

• Free choice feeding: Food is available to your cat at all times.
• Time-limited feeding: Food is available to your cat for a limited time.
• Meal feeding: A regulated amount of food is available to your cat at specific times of the day.

Keep track of your cat’s physical condition and weight. Do this every 6 months and base a cycle around the progress you see in your cat’s healthy growth.

As your cat continues to grow, exercise is crucial, especially if you have an indoor cat. Outdoor cats will maintain exercise through hunting, roaming the yard, and exploring. Let your indoor cat play with toys, stuffed animals, paper grocery bags, or cardboard boxes; this is a good way to help them vent energy and stay active. Along with being healthier, exercise will increase your cat’s happiness as well.

When addressing an adult cat’s needs, remember these four steps:

• Track your cat’s weight.
• Include healthy activity.
• Visit your veterinarian often.
• Maintain an ideal weight for life.

If your cat has itchy or flaky skin, fur balls, bad breath, or suffers from rapid weight gain or inactivity, it could be directly related to a nutritional imbalance. The most common nutritional imbalance amongst cats is obesity due to the common practice of leaving food in the bowl for cats to eat any time. Regulate your cat’s eating in the same way you would your own, with regular meal times. In addition to their food needs, it’s also important for cats to receive proper dental care. Whether you are brushing your cat’s teeth yourself or giving it special food for dental cleaning, this aspect of your cat’s health is just as important as diet.

If you want a house-trained cat, you need to focus your energy training its habits to an indoor lifestyle. Find the right type of litter box for your cat and keep it in an area, preferably quiet and secluded, where the cat will be comfortable using it. If the cat doesn’t take to it right away, try a different litter or move it to a different area. Once you have trained it to use a litter box, any house soiling that occurs will usually indicate a health problem or confusion based on changes you’ve made to your living space. When training a cat to use the litter box, one must practice patience. Having a cat that doesn’t pick it up the first few times is no reason to give up on the house-training process.

As the seasons change, accommodate your cat by making your home cat-friendly. Make sure that holiday treats aren’t left out, including Halloween candy and Christmas desserts. Avoid using decorations that will entice your cat’s natural instincts to claw and chew at your furnishings.

Remember that your cat is susceptible to the elements in the same way that you are. Protect your cat from the sun or snow by providing it with warm shelter and shaded areas, as well as food and water, at all times.

As your cat ages, its diet must change to suit its changing health conditions. Metabolism, eyesight, and kidney function are important to take into account for a mature cat’s diet. The food you buy for your cat should reflect all of these concerns.

Finding the right food is a continuous process as your cat’s needs change with their life stages, and it’s up to you to fulfill those needs. While it is encouraged to be involved and practical about your cat’s diet, giving them homemade cat food or treats should be avoided due to the complex dietary requirements in cat food.

Once you have the right type of cat food for your mature cat, establish an appropriate amount for each meal and how often they should be served. Fashion your cat’s eating habits around nutritional guides and the recommendations of your vet to find out which feeding model is best for your cat:

• Free choice feeding: Food is available to your cat at all times.
• Time-limited feeding: Food is available to your cat for a limited time.
• Meal feeding: A regulated amount of food is available to your cat at specific times of the day.

Keep track of your cat’s physical condition and weight. With an older cat, it’s important to observe health changes with your cat more closely. When addressing a mature adult cat’s needs, remember these four steps:

• Track your cat’s weight.
• Include healthy activity.
• Visit your veterinarian often.
• Maintain an ideal weight for life.

If your cat has itchy or flaky skin, fur balls, bad breath or suffers from rapid weight gain or inactivity, it could be directly related to a nutritional imbalance. The most common nutritional imbalance amongst cats is obesity due to the common practice of leaving food in the bowl for cats to eat any time. Regulate your cat’s eating in the same way you would your own, with regular meal times. In addition to their food needs, it’s also important for cats to receive proper dental care. Whether you are brushing your cat’s teeth yourself or giving it special food for dental cleaning, this aspect of your cat’s health is just as important as diet.

If you want a house-trained cat you need to focus your energy training its habits to an indoor lifestyle. Find the right type of litter box for your cat and keep it in an area, preferably quiet and secluded, where the cat will be comfortable using it. If the cat doesn’t take to it right away, try a different litter or move it to a different area. Once you have trained it to use a litter box, any house soiling that occurs will usually indicate a health problem or confusion based on changes you’ve made to your living space. When training a cat to use the litter box, one must practice patience. Having a cat that doesn’t pick it up the first few times is no reason to give up on the house-training process.

As the seasons change, accommodate your cat by making your home cat-friendly. Make sure that holiday treats aren’t left out, including Halloween candy and Christmas desserts. Avoid using decorations that will entice your cat’s natural instincts to claw and chew at your furnishings.

Remember that your cat is susceptible to the elements in the same way that you are. Protect your cat from the sun or snow by providing it with warm shelter and shaded areas, as well as food and water, at all times.

Although we do our best to only adopt out healthy animals, their health cannot be guaranteed. We recommend following the guidelines below to get your new furry companion off to a Healthy Start.

IVHS is partnered up with VCA Animal Hospitals to provide a 14-day “Healthy Start Certificate”. This certificate provides the adopter with a complimentary health exam and 14-day follow up care for any of the following conditions listed below, up to a $250 maximum coverage.

• Upper respiratory infections
• Infectious tracheobronchitis (kennel cough)
• Diarrhea and/or vomiting of infectious origin (except for parvovirus and distemper)
• Internal parasites
• Common skin disorders
• Ear and eye infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Suture removal

Vaccinations, emergency and specialty veterinary services are not part of complimentary care. Congenital and inherited diseases or conditions are not covered. No coverage is offered for the treatment of canine parvovirus, FIP, feline leukemia, FIV, distemper, hepatitis or ringworm.

In order for The Animal to receive these services, the appointment must be made within 14 days from the date of adoption. A copy of the free first exam certificate from the shelter is required at initial exam. This offer only applies to your qualifying adopted dog or cat and not to any other animals and redeemable only at a participating VCA Animal Hospital listed on this certificate or any other VCA that is a general practice nationwide. This certificate is void should you select another veterinary hospital for the initial examination of your adopted pet.

All emergency/after hours/weekend visits to the adopter’s own veterinarian will be the financial responsibility of the adopter and will not be covered by VCA or IVHS at any time after adoption for any condition (listed or not listed).