According to statistics collected by The Humane Society of the United States, there are more than 83 million dogs owned in the U.S. However, this number is only an estimate as it does not account for thousands of dogs that are born and raised in homes and puppy mills throughout the country. Overall, approximately 47% of American households are home to at least one dog, while over a quarter of all households own two or more dogs.
Not all people consider themselves “dog people”, or wish they worked vet office jobs, and that is understandable. This is because raising a dog is not easy, and can sometimes be expensive. Furthermore, most dogs and puppies demand attention, love to lick, dig, and shed, despite your best grooming efforts. For the millions of dog lovers, of course, all of that is part of the joy of dog ownership, and the reason why so many dog lovers fantasize about working vet office jobs. They enjoy their kisses, the rambunctious behavior, and the occasional naughtiness.
For people who own dogs the only real drawback of dog ownership are the inevitable dogs health problems. Of course, it isn’t the expense and inconvenience of dog health issues that are most troubling, but the fact that many of them are age-related. Thus, they are reminders that our beloved pets won’t be around forever, and that our times with them are far too short.
Unfortunately, statistics show that the average lifespan of a canine is between 10 and 12 years. Although some breeds can live as long as 20 years, those cases are rare; and besides, it is impossible for any of us to predict how long our dogs will be around. For this reason, we need to do everything we can, while we can, to give them the best chance to live long, happy, healthy lives.
While your vet is always the best source for dog health advice, you can find all of the most basic dog health information online. This means pet owners don’t have to spend any extra money to learn about and address the basic health needs of every dog.
For instance, dog WebMD states that the most common dog health issue pertains to ears. This is because the structure of canine ear canals are long, deep, and are often covered by their long ears. This makes it easy for bacteria to develop into infections. This particular online resource teaches pet owners to recognize the symptoms of dog ear infections, and methods of treatment.
By no means will dog health websites ever take the place of those trained to work vet office jobs, but they can provide dog owners with a quick resource to help them decide which steps to take next. Of course, your veterinarian will always be the best, most reliable resource.
