Wellness and Preventative care is the key to keeping your beloved pet in top physical condition and for disease prevention. This includes services our veterinarians provide as a well as things you can do at home. Services we provide include:
Annual Examinations Every pet should have a yearly physical examination performed by a veterinarian. This will help detect signs of disease in early the stages which are usually more treatable. Also, each pet has a range of "normal", and yearly examinations will help keep track of their normal and monitor if that has changed. Some older pets may even need examinations more often. Vaccinations Vaccinations are an extremely important part of disease prevention in your pet. There are core vaccinations that all pets should receive yearly or every 3 years (depending upon their previous vaccination status and individual risk factors for particular diseases). There are also optional vaccinations that may be strongly recommended based on your pet's lifestyle and current health status.
Parasite Control Your furry family members deserve monthly heartworm prevention, flea and tick control, and intestinal parasite control. There are multiple products available for each of these and our veterinarians and technicians can help you determine which option is best for your pet.
Microchipping You can help keep your pet safe by getting them a microchip. After implantation, we register the microchip for you. Even pets that only live indoors can escape at some point (busy holidays or natural disasters such as fire). A microchip would greatly improve the chances that your beloved pet would be returned home safe and sound. All shelters and veterinarians can easily scan your pet for a microchip and then reunite them with you.
Daily care at home is just as important as regular veterinary care. Things you can do at home to keep your pet happy and healthy include:
Feeding and Nutrition Proper nutrition is an important component of your pet's wellness regime. Obesity is the number one health threat most animals face on a daily basis. Obesity is a huge risk factor for many diseases including diabetes, joint disease, heart disease, pancreatitis, etc. You should observe your pet's daily eating habits and any patterns of fluctuations in weight and appearance. Report any significant variations to us and we can give you advice about amount and type of food necessary. Also remember, the recommendations on each bag of food for amount to feed are based on the average pet. Each pet is different, so this amount may need to be changed depending upon how your pet responds.
Observe Your Pet's Behavior You know your pet better than anyone else! If there are changes in their behavior that concern you, consult our veterinarians. Behavior changes can be an early sign of some diseases.
Dental Care Dental disease is extremely common in pets and affects their whole health. We perform dental examinations and cleanings, radiographs, extractions, etc. However, much dental disease can be prevented with daily at home dental care. The gold standard is daily tooth brushing, however, twice weekly brushing would go a long way in prevention. You should use a soft toothbrush and veterinary specific toothpaste. This toothpaste is flavored (beef, poultry, seafood, etc.) for the enjoyment of your pet. There are also many other options such as daily dental chews and rinses if your pet does not allow brushing. It is better to start tooth brushing with your pet at an early age. They may not specifically thank you for it, but the longer lifespan they will have will make the whole process worth it.
