True Pet Wellness Hinges On Routine Exams
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon in the veterinary industry to experience no-show or canceled appointments. Life happens! This can be inconvenient on the business side of things, but the real party that suffers isn’t even involved in the decision.
Pet wellness visits are designed to serve and support our patients. The chance to see and treat animals on a regular, consistent schedule prevents health problems and promotes lifelong vitality. Without routine pet wellness exams, even pets that appear healthy can be vulnerable to many possible illnesses or injuries.
Why It Matters
The first year typically involves more veterinary visits than any other year. Between deworming, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, microchipping, and behavioral consultations, young cats and dogs are seen numerous times before their first birthday. And we love to see them when they’re healthy!
Once they turn one year of age, we can stretch pet wellness visits to once a year. At these visits, we conduct a thorough nose-to-tail physical exam, taking time to assess the teeth and gums, discuss parasite prevention, and update any vaccinations with booster shots. This approach maintains overall health so your pet can enjoy their vitality for as long as possible.
Cost of Prevention
It is crucial to keep a pet trim in order to achieve true health. Even a few extra pounds of weight can be detrimental to their day-to-day comfort and happiness, and has severe consequences to longevity. We take care to discuss a pet’s nutritional needs at every pet wellness exam. If prescription food is necessary, we work with pet owners to find the right product and provide advice on pet weight loss.
Slowly, but Surely
Depending on a pet’s breed and medical history, we may recommend increasing the frequency of their routine wellness exams around age seven. Being able to see and support a senior pet twice a year (every 6 months) can thwart age-related illness and reinforce long term health.
Diagnostics, such as blood work and urinalysis, can provide greater insight into organ health. We can use previous diagnostics (also referred to as baseline values) to compare present values to, in a process that helps determine a plan of care. The opportunity to see a pet every 6 months can lead to early detection of disease, effective treatment, and a better outcome.
Dental Care
While we look inside the mouth every time we see your pet, we can’t see what’s happening beneath the gums. Since this is where the majority of dental disease occurs, dental care is safely conducted under general anesthesia. Digital X-rays can show us the extent of periodontal disease and help us figure out proper treatment, including extraction.
Individualized Care
Every pet is unique and has highly individualized health care needs. We tailor our approach to overall pet wellness for each animal we see.
If you have questions or concerns about our pet wellness exams, please call us at (330) 665-5915. We can’t wait to see your pet at The Gentle Vet.