Loving your pet means caring about your pet's health. The health of your pet can depend upon its age, breed and environment.

One area of pet health that most people can relate to is arthritis. Like humans, pets can get arthritic. Arthritis is particularly common in dogs. Like people, dogs' joins are lubricated by synovial fluid, which decreases over time; joints can become rough and painful. Warmth is the simplest treatment for arthritis in pets. Heating a confined area in which they rest is one way of easing arthritis pain and improving pet health. One in three dogs may develop arthritis at some point.

As with people, a joint injury makes it more likely that arthritis will develop in that joint. However, while a human will not develop arthritis in an injured joint for at least five years, pet health statistics show that a dog may develop arthritis in as few as five weeks.

Dogs and cats can also contract arthritis from infection or tick bites. This is inflammatory arthritis, the pet health equivalent of rheumatoid arthritis in humans. Dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors in cold weather are also more prone to arthritis.

Various pet foods have been developed to promote pet health. Minerals and nutrients are used instead of medicine to treat most pet health issues, including arthritis. Nutritionally appropriate food, shelter, and a comfortable sleeping area are all conducive to pet health.

In addition to arthritis, pets are subject to various diseases carried by fleas and ticks. Many people are unaware that pets can have an allergic reaction to flea saliva. This is true of both dogs and cats, though it is rare in puppies and kittens. Treatment is by reducing exposure to fleas, using flea powders and sprays, or even injections. Flea baths have very limited protection ability, but can provide quick relief for a sensitive pet.