Today is the second day of National Pet Week 🐾 This week is all about promoting responsible pet care and providing pet owners with the resources and information they need to give their pets happy and healthy lives. Today’s topic: the importance of annual wellness checks!
Veterinarians recommend annual check-ups for a reason. Proper preventative care has been proven to be the best approach to annual wellness. Annual exams serve many functions, including screening for health conditions, providing protection against diseases, and addressing the pet owner’s questions and concerns.
Routine health screening is essential for pet health, especially as a pet reaches its “middle-age” years. Pets age faster than people do, and problems can certainly arise in the time between annual exams. Cats and dogs are very good at hiding weakness, discomfort and pain from their owners, and they often don’t start to visibly show symptoms until later stages of a disease. Regular physical exams and routine screening of bloodwork make it more likely that concerns will be detected earlier. Early detection of a disease makes it more likely that management and/or treatment will be successful (and often less expensive!). The more time that a disease has to progress, the more expensive and invasive treatment will likely be.
Annual check-ups aren’t just about screening for health concerns; vaccinations and preventatives for heartworm, fleas and ticks are also important aspects of pet wellness and protect against diseases that are dangerous and expensive to treat. A veterinary appointment also means that you have face time with your veterinarian. This is the perfect time to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about your pet’s health or care.
As tempting as it may be to save money and time by skipping your pet’s annual exam, don’t flake out on your pet. Routine preventative pet care is essential to improve quality and length of life, and can actually save pet owners money in the long run. Our furry family members rely on us to take care of them, and it’s our responsibility to ensure they they receive quality care throughout every stage of their lives.
Routine health screening is essential for pet health, especially as a pet reaches its “middle-age” years. Pets age faster than people do, and problems can certainly arise in the time between annual exams. Cats and dogs are very good at hiding weakness, discomfort and pain from their owners, and they often don’t start to visibly show symptoms until later stages of a disease. Regular physical exams and routine screening of bloodwork make it more likely that concerns will be detected earlier. Early detection of a disease makes it more likely that management and/or treatment will be successful (and often less expensive!). The more time that a disease has to progress, the more expensive and invasive treatment will likely be.
Annual check-ups aren’t just about screening for health concerns; vaccinations and preventatives for heartworm, fleas and ticks are also important aspects of pet wellness and protect against diseases that are dangerous and expensive to treat. A veterinary appointment also means that you have face time with your veterinarian. This is the perfect time to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about your pet’s health or care.
As tempting as it may be to save money and time by skipping your pet’s annual exam, don’t flake out on your pet. Routine preventative pet care is essential to improve quality and length of life, and can actually save pet owners money in the long run. Our furry family members rely on us to take care of them, and it’s our responsibility to ensure they they receive quality care throughout every stage of their lives.
