A balanced diet, regular exercise, proper grooming and regular veterinary care are essential in keeping your pet healthy. However, pets can only express themselves through barks, meows and movements, so it's not always easy to tell if they are experiencing pain or discomfort. 

Pet Food Institute and the Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines, through its Well Fed, Well Nurtured campaign, impart a head-to-toe checklist that identifies signs of a healthy pet.

EYES
Healthy cats have clear and bright eyes. Any irregularities like redness or mucus excretion can mean infection or nutrient deficiency.  If the cat squints or blinks with one eye, it could indicate injuries like a scratch, or a foreign matter may be stuck in the eye area. 

Dogs should have bright and shiny eyes. It’s normal for dogs to have mucus and tears in their eyes, but it should be minimal, clear and not yellowish. Swollen or reddish eyes are not normal and could be a symptom of a bigger eye health problem.

EARS
The ears of both cats and dogs should have minimal to zero amount of wax. Any crusty build-up could lead to swelling inside the ear. If they shake their heads frequently, it might be a symptom of ear mites or ear infection. Unpleasant odor that lingers after ear cleaning could mean an infection. 

NOSE
A healthy cat’s nostrils should be mucus-free. A cat may sometime sneeze due to allergies or dust but continuous sneezing accompanied by gagging hints of a possible foreign matter inside its nasal passage. 

A dog’s nose is leathery, cool, and moist. They sometimes have nasal discharge but it should be minimal and never yellowish. A dog's wet nose does not always mean it is healthy, and a warm and dry nose does not always mean it's sick. 

MOUTH
Both cats and dogs have pink or black lips, depending on the breed. As they age, they may develop black spotting around their lips. Inside their mouth must be pink, including the tongue, and their teeth should ideally be white and tartar free. Any evidence of dental diseases such as foul breath odor, gum bleeding or gum redness should be examined by a veterinarian. 

COAT AND SKIN
Cats and dogs should have shiny coats that don't harbor ticks and fleas. Shedding is normal but must not be too excessive. Depending on the breed, cats and dogs' coats can turn lighter or darker as they age. However, a very dull coat is a sign that the animal may have a health concern.

APPETITE AND BOWEL
The consistency and appearance of a pet’s stool can say a lot about its overall health. Most dogs have bowel movements twice a day, while cats do it at least once a day. Their urine should not be too yellow, while their feces should neither be too hard or too soft. If both their urine and stool have blood or parasites, it might be a case of rectal or anal dysfunction. 

A healthy pet is the result of responsible pet care with the right balance of safe and nutritious food and exercise. Dogs and cats should be provided with pet foods that are carefully formulated to meet their unique nutritional requirements. Pet Food Institute maintains that safe and nutritious pet food contributes to the total well-being of the pet that leads to a long and healthy life.

​TREATMENT for bites, scratch and lick of potentially rabid animals is now compensable with PhilHealth and available in more accredited clinics.

The agency recently announced that there are now 154 accredited animal bite treatment centers (ABTCs) with the capacity to provide vaccines to combat rabies problems among PhilHealth members and their dependents.

​Also, PhilHealth members and dependents undergoing anti-rabies treatment are entitled to avail of the Animal Bite Treatment Package (ABT), fixed at P3,000 to any of the accredited Out-Patient Animal Bite Treatment Center (ABTC) and Animal Bite Center (private facilities) in the country.

The ABT package include payment for treatment due to bites of dogs, domestic and livestock animals such as cats, pigs, horses, goats and wild animals like bats and monkeys.  Transdermal bites, even exposure to rabies patient through bites and those handling infected carcass and  ingestion of raw infected meat can also be covered.

This package includes Post–Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) services like rabies vaccine, rabies immune globulin, local wound care, tetanus toxoid and anti-tetanus serum, antibiotics and other supplies used.

The total costs of treatment for animal bite patients who are PhilHealth Sponsored Program members shall be entirely covered by the said package, whereby “no balance billing” policy of PhilHealth applies.  However, employed and self-employed members are required of three months payment within six months before the month of confinement to qualify for the package, while OFWs, Lifetime and SP members are covered within the validity of their membership.