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Summary
Pets can add fun, companionship and a feeling of safety to your life. Before getting a pet, think carefully about which animal is best for your family. What is each family member looking for in a pet? Who will take care of it? Does anyone have pet allergies? What type of animal suits your lifestyle and budget?
Once you own a pet, keep it healthy. Know the signs of medical problems. Take your pet to the veterinarian if you notice:
- Loss of appetite
- Drinking a lot of water
- Gaining or losing a lot of weight quickly
- Strange behavior
- Being sluggish and tired
- Trouble getting up or down
- Strange lumps
Prevention and Risk Factors
- 10 Poison Pills for Pets (American Veterinary Medical Association)
- An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure: Protect Your Pet from Heartworms Year-Round (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
- Household Hazards to Pets (American Veterinary Medical Association)
- How to Report Problems with Flea and Tick Products (Food and Drug Administration)
- Keep Your Dogs and Cats Safe from Holiday Hazards (Food and Drug Administration)
- Potentially Dangerous Items for Your Pet (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
- Preventing Ticks on Pets (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Read the Label First! Protect Your Pets (Environmental Protection Agency) - PDF
- Vaccinations (American Veterinary Medical Association)
Treatments and Therapies
- Animal Product Safety Information (Food and Drug Administration)
- Treating Cushing's Disease in Dogs (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Be Prepared: Pet Safety in Emergencies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Disease Precautions for Dog Walkers (American Veterinary Medical Association)
- Dog Bite Prevention (American Veterinary Medical Association)
- Salmonella: Dry Pet Foods and Pet Treats (FAQ) (American Veterinary Medical Association)
- Ticks and Lyme Disease: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
- Ways to Stay Healthy Around Animals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Specifics
- About Dog Flu (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- About Dog or Cat Tapeworm Infection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Birds (Pets) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Canine Distemper (American Veterinary Medical Association)
- Canine Parvovirus (American Veterinary Medical Association)
- Fluorouracil and Pet Safety (Food and Drug Administration)
- Horses (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Keep the Worms Out of Your Pet's Heart! The Facts About Heartworm Disease (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
- Medication Errors Happen to Pets, Too (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
- Medicines for Your Pet: What's the Difference Between FDA-Approved and Pharmacy-Compounded Drugs? (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
- My Dog Has Cancer: What Do I Need to Know? (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
- What You Should Know about COVID-19 and Pets (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Xylitol and Your Dog: Danger, Paws Off (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.