🐾 Dog Health Essentials
✅ Signs of a Healthy Dog
How to recognise a healthy dog and keep them thriving
A healthy dog will show several clear indicators in their behaviour, appearance, and daily habits.
- Demeanour — alert, responsive, and engaged with their surroundings.
- Movement — steady, smooth mobility with no limping; good stamina in younger dogs.
- Appetite — keen interest in food, eating well, and no vomiting.
- Coat Condition — clean, shiny, and free from parasites or dirt.
- Ears — clean, odour‑free, and responsive to sound.
- Eyes — bright, clear, and free from discharge or redness.
- Nose — typically cool and damp outdoors; warm and dry indoors; no persistent discharge.
If your dog seems unwell or shows changes in behaviour, always consult your veterinarian.
Meat by itself is not a complete diet. It lacks essential vitamins and minerals, and feeding only meat — especially to growing puppies — can cause serious skeletal and developmental issues.
🚫 Why Meat Alone Isn’t Enough
🍽️ Nutrition for Dogs
A complete, balanced dog diet includes:
- Protein — essential for muscle growth and repair
- Fats — support skin and coat health
- Carbohydrates — provide energy
- Vitamins & Minerals — vital for bones, organs, and overall wellbeing
- Fibre (Roughage) — important for healthy digestion
🥩 What Makes a Good Diet?
A simple, cost‑effective diet includes meat (raw, cooked, or canned) combined with dry food. Premium dry foods such as Orijen, Acana, Royal Canin, James Wellbeloved, Burns, and Arden Grange offer balanced nutrition and help maintain healthy teeth.
Feeding a mix of soft and crunchy foods supports good dental health.
🍖 Easy Ways to Feed a Complete Diet
🥫 Are Canned Foods Complete?
Canned foods vary in quality. High‑quality options include:
- Meat
- Vegetables
- Grains
- Balanced vitamins and minerals
These provide a complete and healthy diet. Cheaper canned foods may lack essential nutrients.
Not all dry foods are complete diets. Look for packaging that clearly states “complete and balanced”. Complete dry food is an easy, reliable way to feed your dog everything they need.
🥣 Is All Dry Food Complete?
🩺 Dog Health Care
Vaccinations, worming, flea control, poisoning and general illness
💉 Vaccinations
Dogs should receive annual vaccinations, including boosters for conditions such as kennel cough. Speak to your vet about the correct schedule.
💊 Worming
Puppies can carry roundworms, which can infect humans. To protect both your dog and your family:
- Worm puppies regularly throughout their first year
- Maintain good hygiene after handling your dog
- Worm adult dogs every three months
Tapeworms and other parasites also require routine treatment.
🐜 Fleas
Fleas cause itching, skin irritation, and can transmit tapeworms. To eliminate fleas:
- Treat all pets in the household
- Clean the environment thoroughly
- Use flea sprays or “flea bombs” to remove eggs
- Use monthly spot‑on treatments for prevention
- Visit us in store for personalised flea‑control advice.
☠️ Poisoning
Most poisoning incidents are accidental. Common causes include:
- Garden chemicals
- Snail and slug bait
- Household cleaners
Seek immediate veterinary care if your dog shows:
- Foaming at the mouth
- Muscle tremors
- Staggering or collapse
- Inability to stand
🤒 General Illness
If your dog refuses food or water for an extended period, or seems depressed or lethargic, this may indicate illness. Contact your vet promptly for advice.
Contact Information
Opening Hours
Principal Pets
184 Telegraph Road
Heswall
Merseyside
CH60 0AJ
Tel: 0151 342 9635
Email: info@principalpets.co.uk
VAT : 178 3864 58
Free Local Delivery
Monday Closed
Tuesday 09:00 to 17:30
Wednesday 09:00 to 17:30
Thursday 09:00 to 17:30
Friday 09:00 to 17:30
Saturday 09:00 to 17:30
Sunday Closed