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The health and wellness of dogs are the chief concerns of most owners.
With genetic predispositions plaguing a lot of breeds, as well as with the overall active and careless attitude of our adventurous canine companions, the potential for contracting diseases and getting injured is always there.
While we can never take care of every eventuality and prevent every possible health-related problem in dogs, modern technology has managed to help dog owners a lot.
In particular, several smartphone apps help dogs and owners, including caring for our pets’ health, exercise, and overall wellness.
Here are 14 apps that I found very useful, and I think they help keep our dogs healthy and happy all the time.
Apps for Maintaining Your Dog’s Wellness
1. Dog Buddy Free
This app is a virtual diary for your dog.
With it, you can track your pooch’s weight, medications, milestones, vaccinations, vet visits, allergies, and anything else you would need to know about your dog.
With this app, you won’t have to remember anything, and you won’t have to keep any unnecessary pieces of paper around.
The next time you’re at your vet, just open the app, and you’ll have easy access to your dog’s health information.
2. ASPCA
This app is free and very useful if you live in an area where natural disasters are not rare.
The app allows you to store your dog’s medical records so that you can also have them at your disposal.
It also offers great access to guides on what to do for your pet before, during, and after a natural disaster. It also requires no internet connection.
3. Pet Care Services
Gauvin says this app (iPhone, free) is a must-have if you travel with your pet.
GPS will locate the nearest vet clinics, pet-friendly hotels, groomers, and pet stores across Canada and the U.S., phone or email nearby emergency clinics, and view directions using Google Maps.
4. Pet Master Pro
This is another great app for storing your pet’s medical information.
Pet Master Pro app can manage your pet’s information, such as vaccinations, identification numbers, medications, insurance details, weight history, and more.
Regardless of where you and your pet are, you will always have all of your dog’s medical info in your pocket, ready to show it to any veterinarian.
The information must be entered into the app first, but once that’s done, the rest is easy.
5. Pet Phone
UPDATE: The app is no longer listed in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
This app lets you track your dog’s health with ease. You can use it for anything — for keeping track of vet appointments, allergies, medications, and food preferences for multiple dogs at once.
Plus, the app can be synced with your calendar to get reminders.
Apps for Taking Care of Your Dog’s Health
6. askPETMD
UPDATE: This app is no longer available since January 31, 2018. (source)
PetMD is a famous website that offers endless articles and resources on all things related to pets’ health.
If you also use PetMD’s app, you will have access to all of this information and the opportunity to ask questions about your dog’s health and receive a free vet-qualified answer within 24 hours.
7. PupTox
PupTox is an app that lists more than 250 items that can harm or kill your pet if ingested.
This includes food, plants, chemicals, and common hazards such as coins, batteries, and bones.
Lastly, the app provides one-click phone access to poison hotlines.
8. Vet On Demand
UPDATE: The app is no longer listed in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
This app was a telehealth app for dog owners.
With it, you can arrange real-time video consultations with vet specialists to help you assess the severity of symptoms your pet is experiencing and to give you adequate advice on what to do.
While such an app is no substitute for a live visit to a veterinarian, it is perfect for when you are unsure whether you should make the trip to the vet.
9. Pet First Aid American Red Cross
Knowing how to give first aid to your dog is important for any dog owner, but it can be more complicated than with a human.
With this app, you can check symptoms and watch videos to respond to common emergency situations.
You can learn the first aid steps, inform yourself about early warning signs, and take quizzes on pet health and safety.
Additionally, in more serious situations, the app can also locate the nearest emergency animal hospitals and allow you to set up a vet appointment.
10. PetCoach
With PetCoach, you can talk to real, licensed vets and trainers for free every day of the week.
You can use the app to consult in emergencies, to ask about symptoms, or even find nutrition advice.
The app also allows you to schedule appointments with vets and pet specialists.
11. Petoxins
UPDATE: The app is no longer listed in the Apple App Store and Google Play. ASPCA redirects readers to this page instead.
Much like PupTox, the Petoxins app from the ASPCA helps you by giving you an extensive list of poisonous plants and ingredients to keep your dog away from.
This app is great for dog owners who have recently relocated and are unfamiliar with the new local flora.
Apps for Satisfying Your Dog’s Exercise Needs
12. P5 Dog Training
UPDATE: This app is no longer listed in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
The P5 Dog Training app is perfect for dog owners who want to keep their dogs in great physical shape.
You can create a profile of your dog in the app and set various fitness and training goals for your dog.
You can track your dog’s progress in areas like strength, agility, tricks, and obedience. The app also provides guides for training your pup so that you have all the necessary information.
13-14. iClicker or Dog Clicker Training
Clicker training is a great way to train your dog through conditioning and setting up positive & negative reinforcement feedback.
This app offers detailed tutorials, but the main idea is that it will play special sounds (for example, toy squeaks or doorbells) to reinforce certain types of behaviors.
Like any form of dog training, this takes practice and discipline, but in conjunction with treats, clicker apps are a great way to keep your dog in optimum physical shape.
