Just as people should see a doctor regularly, our pets should as well. While emergency care is critical, routine health care is the primary and most effective way to keep your pet happy and healthy. Preventative pet care encompasses anything and everything you can do to keep your dog or cat healthy by intervening before a problem occurs.
At-Home Care:
Preventative healthcare begins at the point of origin. You must provide your dogs and cats with high-quality food from a reputable manufacturer, ample exercise, routine dental care, and monthly parasite prevention.
Exercise is critical for various reasons, not the least of which is that it aids in the fight against obesity. Obesity increases your pet’s risk of developing various diseases, including early arthritis, diabetes, and even liver disease in cats. Additionally, exercise helps maintain the health of your pet’s bones and may help reduce the risk of anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems.
Meanwhile, parasite prevention is divided into two categories: internal, which includes heartworms and intestinal worms, and external, which provides for fleas and ticks. Typically, parasite prevention treatments are administered monthly* at home.
Finally, at-home dental care refers to daily tooth brushing and any other at-home dental products that have been shown to benefit oral health.
Bear in mind that while effective at-home care is critical for your pet’s health, it does not eliminate the need for routine veterinary visits.
Veterinary Visits:
Preventative pet care includes routine examinations, parasite testing, vaccinations, blood work, and dental care at your veterinarian’s clinic.
Pets require physical examinations at least once a year, as they cannot communicate when something is wrong. Early detection makes treatment and management more superficial, effective, and frequently less expensive. For instance, beginning a weight loss program early is far superior to waiting until your dog develops arthritis — but pet parents may be unaware their dog is obese until they undergo a veterinary exam.
Additionally, your veterinarian should test your pet annually for parasites, including heartworms and intestinal worms, even if your pet is on year-round broad-spectrum heartworm prevention. Unless you test your dog for heartworms, you will not know if they are infected until they become very ill. Additionally, while humans cannot contract heartworms, intestinal worms can be transmitted to humans, particularly children, so routine testing protects your entire family.
Vaccinations are critical to maintaining a healthy annual visit. Vaccines help prevent disease or reduce the severity of illness in infected pets. Vaccinations are given every one or three years following the puppy or kitten booster series, depending on the type, your pet’s lifestyle, and local regulations.
Annual blood workups should be performed as part of routine pet health care. Blood work evaluates organ function and may detect changes in your pet’s health before the onset of illness symptoms. Making minor adjustments to your pet’s at-home care in response to blood work can help delay or even prevent the beginning of several serious illnesses.