Affordable Pet Care at Home

MISSION, KS--(Marketwired - May 16, 2013) - (Family Features) Dogs and cats provide "parents" so much love and affection. So, it's only natural that pet parents want to return that love by taking care of all their pet's health and wellness needs. Fortunately, now top-of-the-line routine care can easily be provided at home using veterinarian-quality pet health products, which will help save money and possibly a trip to the vet.

When shopping for pet health products, it's important to look for products that have the same active ingredients as the leading veterinarian brands, such as the new VetTrust line from PetArmor. Taking the extra time to read the labels and compare ingredients can provide significant savings.

Try This at Home

Help your pet live a longer, happier life with the gift of good health. Providing basic health care and picking the right vitamins and supplements can be easy with a little know-how:

• Supplemental care. The diets of cats and dogs can benefit from vitamin and mineral supplements. A high-quality supplement helps support immune health. 
• Support joint mobility. As pets get older, they may start to slow down and have trouble with stairs. Joint health products, such as VetTrust Joint Health Chewable Tablets and Soft Chews, contain glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM for maximum cartilage support to help pets maintain a normal, active lifestyle.
• Time for a trim. Nail trimming is an important part of a regular dog grooming routine. Long nails often break, leading to pain and infection. Purchase nail scissors from your local pet store then gently trim the tip of your dog's nail. Take care not to clip too far down, or you could cause bleeding, then file nails, if necessary.

Brush up on Routine Care

Many pet parents already provide routine care to their cats and dogs. Savvy owners know grooming is a great way to shower extra attention on pets. Using vet-quality products also helps let the caring begin.

• Clean up their act. Proper grooming is essential to the physical, mental and emotional well-being of both dogs and cats. Brush long-haired breeds at least twice per week. Those with shorter hair may not need to be brushed as often. Baths should be given if dirt or odor becomes noticeable. Cats usually don't need regular bathing, unless something unusual happens, as they tend to groom themselves. However, dogs should be bathed at least once every three months.
• All about the ears. Regular maintenance of the ears is essential for both cats and dogs. In fact, ear infections are the second most common veterinarian diagnosis. Products, such as an Ear Wash, clean away debris while hindering the buildup of bacteria. Medicated Ear Rinse will kill both yeast and odor-causing bacteria while gently cleaning away dirt and wax.
• Beware of burnt paws. Prevent burns and blisters on pet paws by avoiding walking your pet on hot pavement or sand. If you notice irritation or redness, apply a conditioning lotion with colloidal oatmeal to moisturize and restore healthy paws. 

People love to spend time with their pets and caring for basic needs at home provides extra bonding time. It can also ease any pet anxiety or financial strain extra veterinary visits may cause. Of course, an annual visit to the veterinarian is recommended for a nose-to-tail checkup and vaccinations. Good care with quality at-home products can mean many more long, happy years together.

Find out more about products to care for your pets, visit www.petarmor.com/vettrust.

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