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Make a New Year's resolution for your pets

It's unlikely your pets vowed to eat better or go to the gym in 2019, but that doesn't mean they can't benefit from a New Year's resolution!

We doubt your pets have vowed to eat better and go to the gym three days a week, but they could still benefit from a few New Year’s resolutions.

These resolutions will help you keep your pets happy and healthy in 2019.

  • Have you resolved to exercise more? Where possible, add pets to your plans. Dogs love to run with their owners, and it’s healthy for them too. Just be careful to protect them from heat, traffic and other hazards.
  • Set aside time for your pets each day. Pets sometimes get overlooked when we’re overwhelmed with work, school, family and everything else life throws at us. But spending time each day with your purring cat or loveable dog will relax you and strengthen your bond with your pet.
  • Get a pet insurance policy. They are available from Trupanion and other companies. As with human insurance, these policies are a lot cheaper than a stay in the intensive care unit. An insurance policy often means you can afford the care that will keep your pet alive.
  • Resolve to stop smoking, because your pets’ health will likely improve. Animals suffer from second-hand smoke just as humans do. Important side benefit: It helps your lungs too!
  • Along with changing the smoke alarm batteries, visiting the doctor and going to the dentist, make sure you schedule trips to your family veterinarian. This may be the best early warning system you have for your pets’ health problems. BluePearl experts recommend seeing your family vet at least annually, and twice a year for older pets.
  • Get your pets micro-chipped, which will mean they can be identified later. Just last month, a good Samaritan brought a stray dog named Brodie into a BluePearl hospital near Kansas City, Mo. The staff checked the Labrador’s microchip and made a surprising discovery – Brodie had been missing for more than a year. He was reunited with his happy family within hours.

We hope these suggestions will help everyone in your family – whether they have two legs or four – have a happy new year!

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