Whether you have a pet who is starting to age, or whether you have recently brought home a new kitten or puppy, there are some health tips that will always be useful. Some of these you can put into practice right away, and some will require the expertise of a veterinarian, but the bottom line is that they can all have life-enhancing effects for your pet. Read on to learn five of these tips right now.

1. Give your pet a healthy diet. One of the primary keys to a healthy life for your pet is to have a great diet. With the right nutrients and vitamins, your pet can reap the benefits of a healthy and sleek coat, healthy skin, and clear eyesight. When your pet is regularly getting healthy food, this will bolster their immune system, fighting numerous illnesses that can decrease their quality of life, and a good diet will help their intestinal health specifically.

2. Help your pet maintain a healthy weight. Unfortunately, there can be too much of a good thing. Even if all the nutrients you are feeding your pet are good, if they eat too much, then your pet will be at serious risk for all manner of severe health problems. Obesity is on the rise in pets, and study after study has suggested that an overweight pet can lose out on up to two years of their life. Regardless of life span, an overweight pet as a lesser life quality as well. All this is because of such ailments as joint disease, diabetes, and heart disease that can be brought on by obesity.

3. Routinely get your pet to the veterinarian. Of course, cats and dogs need to get vaccinated, and of course, when there is injury or when an emergency strikes, it will be vital to see a vet as soon as possible. But pets require more medical attention than this. A huge reason why is that prevention really is the best cure, and that early detection will give your pet the best chance of fighting against a medical condition. Making sure that a veterinarian regularly examines your dog and cat increases the chance that a condition will be caught early. If finances are a concern, the lesser treatment required for catching an illness early means that you would probably have to pay much less than you would if the condition is not caught until it has worsened.

4. Make sure your pet has a healthy smile. One of the issues that is regularly allowed to slide is that of dental care. This can put your dog or cat at risk for a host of dental and oral health problems. Not only will these be painful for your pet, but they can also make it a struggle to eat. If allowed to progress, these diseases or problems can trigger heart disease or cause kidney disease. What you need to do is to take your pet to dental checkups, and more importantly, to brush your pet's mouth on a regular basis. If your pet revolts at the sight of a toothbrush, you can still get them the dental care they need with certain diets and toys. A vet can tell you about some of these alternatives.

5. Keep an eye on your pet. If your pet can wander out of your eyesight out of doors, then they could be at risk for collisions with a vehicle, threats from wild animals, the spread of illness from other animals, accidental ingestion of poison, sustaining injuries, and more. Of course you want your pet to enjoy the outdoors, but you want to ensure that your pet is being watched over when they do.

For more tips and advice on keeping your dog and cat healthy, be sure to find the local veterinarian you need as soon as possible.