Keeping a pet healthy isn’t hard to do. You feed, clean, and play with your furry friend. That’s pretty much it. However, there are a few other things you can do that can keep your pal far away from the advanced veterinary care center (at least until it’s time for their checkup).

Here are just a few of the best ways veterinarians say you can keep your pet healthy.

Feed your pet a balanced, nutritious diet. – One of the easiest, and simplest things you can do is to make sure your pet is eating properly. You veterinarian will be able to recommend a diet, telling you how much to feed your pet, and when. It’s also a good idea to ask your vet about what formula to give your pet, as the food made for your pet’s age and/or size may not necessarily be best. For example, some geriatric pets may actually benefit from eating puppy food. Check with your vet about what you should be giving your pal.

Vaccinate your pet. – If your pet’s not vaccinated, it’s at risk of developing some serious diseases. Make sure when you get a puppy or a kitten that it gets the proper vaccinations, which should include the vaccines for distemper, parvo, panleukopenia, and rabies, at the right time in his or her development.

Keep Your pet free of parasites. – There are tons of parasites out there just looking to bug your pet. Fleas, ticks, heartworms, and more all want to make a meal out of your pet. Make sure your pet doesn’t catch these nasty buggers, and in the event that they do, that they’re properly washed, and taken care of.

If you want to minimize your trips to the veterinary hospital, you’d be wise to make sure your pet is eating a healthy, nutritious diet, that it’s been vaccinated properly, and that it’s free of parasites. If you do, you won’t have to see your veterinarian anymore than you have to.

If you have any questions or other tips, feel free to share in the comments. Read more articles like this.