Prevention is the medicine: Yearly vaccinations, a proper diet and enough exercise are very important.

Even with all of the above, your pet may still get sick. While it can be difficult to know when to call the vet, here are a few guidelines in recognizing a sick pet:

• Diarrhea.
• Unexplained or sudden weight loss.
• Significant loss of appetite or increased appetite.
• Vomiting.
• Pawing at ears or shaking head.
• Lumps on body.
• Significant fur loss ( not just shedding, which is normal); dull, patchy coat.
• Persistent sneezing or coughing.
• Abnormal discharge from the eyes or nose.
• Stiffness or weakness in any joints; pet moves with difficulty.
• Straining to urinate or defecate. Inability to urinate is an emergency - get your pet to the vet immediately

Don't feed your pet table scraps
"People food" is not formulated to meet the nutritional needs of your pet...and it's often too greasy or rich. This can cause your pet to become overweight  and with it, develop health problems related to obesity. Your pet may also refuse to eat regular pet food once he or she has developed a taste for human food.

Limit the treats
Treats are often salty and fatty, and just like table scraps, they can make your pet fat.

Homemade diets are not recommended
It's hard to provide all the nutritional requirements for your pet; it's better to leave that up to pet food companies who spend large amounts of money researching this very thing. Homemade diets are also hard to provide for pets that may be kenneled from time to time.

Do not feed cat food to your dog, or dog food to your cat
Cats and dogs have very different nutritional requirements. Your dog most likely loves cat food, so try to keep kitty's food out of his reach.

Don't feed bones to your pet
Bones can potentially cause serious problems such as intestinal blockages, internal punctures, choking, vomiting, etc.

Puppies and kittens food
Feed kittens and puppies food that is specifically formulated for their needs. Growing animals have special needs.

Resist "free-feeding"
Don’t leave food out for your pet all the time, leaving it up to them when they want to eat. This method may encourage overeating and obesity.

Set a feeding schedule
Kittens and puppies should be fed several times a day, with the number of meals decreasing as they get older. Adults need only be fed once or twice a day. Establish a schedule and stick to it.