Health Condition

New Dog Owner's Guide: Feeding, Health, & Creating a Happy Home

Learn how to care for your dog, recommended diet and training. Find the right food, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.

Updated on April 9th, 2026

Unlock Optimal Health: Best Pet Supplements for Your Dog & Cat

Discover how to choose the best supplements for your pet’s health, from essential vitamins to joint support and digestion aids. Learn age-specific and seasonal supplement tips for cats and dogs.

Updated on October 23rd, 2025

Dog Food Labels: Understand Ingredients for Your Pet's Best Health

Did you know that what's printed on your dog's food package isn't always straight forward? Learn all the insights behind what's printed on the label.

Updated on November 6th, 2025

Choose the Best Natural Dog Food: Understand Ingredients & Benefits

Get insights into natural dog food ingredients and learn how they support your pup’s overall health and well-being.

Updated on October 23rd, 2025

Probiotics for Dogs: Optimize Digestion & Immunity for Health

Learn how to improve your dog's life with nutritional probiotics. Help your dog regardless of age or size & manage inflammation, gastrointestinal health & arthritis.

Updated on October 23rd, 2025

How to spot an unhealthy dog and what food/vitamins are best?

This is a very good question! It is always wise to be proactive about our pet's health. If you ever have concerns about how your dog is doing then a call and visit to your vet can help to set your mind at ease. Things to watch for that would indicate health problems include vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite and energy level, unusual behaviors and limping. Discuss food recommendations with your regular veterinarian. Brands such as Purina, Hills and Royal Canin all have veterinarians on-staff to ensure their food is top quality and nutritionally balanced. If you are feeding a good balanced diet then supplements of vitamins and minerals are not necessary.

What foods and care keep my dog healthy and thriving for life?

Hello. As long as you feed Hadli the best quality food you can, keep her up to date on her vaccinations, keep her on heartworm preventative there is not much else for you to do but supply plenty of love. Where people get into trouble is when they try to over-supplement a pet & thus introduce imbalances. Do not let your pet become obese, give her plenty of exercise, & follow your veterinarians recommendations for any testing that might be appropriate as she ages. Just like they recommend for you & me, eating a healthy balanced diet is far more important than any supplements you can buy. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

How to choose good dog food? What about expensive vet diets?

Foods in the US need to be regulated under AAFCO standards to be complete and nutritionally balanced, so most foods will do a good job of making sure your pet stays healthy and happy. Specialist foods generally are designed to treat an issue, such as a food allergy or a health problem, and are beneficial for pets that need it. As for the prescription diets your vet sells, these are specially formulated to help treat a specific medical condition like a prescription medication would. They are prescription-only because of this, and sometimes cost a bit more because a lot more research and formulation (and sometimes unique ingredients) goes into them to make them able to treat a health condition. In many cases, your vet can send a prescription for this food to an online pet store or pharmacy so you can purchase the product cheaper.

Best food for senior dog with bad teeth, arthritis, and itchy skin?

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! Please keep in mind that she may be itchy because of allergies. Grain free food has nothing to do with being hypoallergenic helping with allergies and actually has not been really shown to have any benefit over food that contains grain. There have been reports that have linked grain free foods with heart disease. I would consider feeding her a canned or wet diet which may be easier to eat for her. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. You could add joint supplement such as Dasuquin or Cosequin to help with joint health. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take c

How to pick the best dry dog food for my dog's health and age?

Thank you for using Boop by Petco! In the United States, Pet foods are regulated by a nongovernmental organization called AAFCO. They set standards for what makes a complete pet food. Due to these high standards, most pet foods for sale are adequate to provide complete nutrition for pet dogs. What you want is a food that has an AAFCO statement on the package that the food has been used in FEEDING TRIALS. You will find some food that have a statement that they are FORMULATED to meet requirements. Your family veterinarian may have specific preferences for food types. In general, food made by Hills, Purina, Eukanuba, and Royal Canin will have excellent nutrient profiles for your pet. If your dog has specific medical requirements, your family veterinarian can make recommendations for a prescription food.