How often does my pet need a checkup? To keep your pet in optimum health, two vet exams per year is the currently recommended standard of care. We all know dogs and cats
age faster, but they are also living longer than ever thanks to advances in veterinary medicine and nutrition. That’s the good side, the bad side is our pets are faced with the common conditions that come with older age.
It’s best to treat disease early and even better to uncover it before it becomes obvious. Twice yearly vet checks give us the chance to diagnose problems early. The cost of prevention is often just a fraction of the cost of treating a condition that’s more advanced and diagnosing a disease early in its course increases the chances of a successful outcome.
Many pet owners don’t know that there are plenty of serious, even fatal diseases seen in middle age. So, middle age is a good time to establish a baseline with yearly bloodwork and it may reveal a problem before your pet even shows symptoms.
It’s not just bloodwork that needs monitoring. The most under-appreciated tool a veterinarian uses is a thorough physical exam. In fact, our pets routinely get a more comprehensive physical than most people. Dr. Rowan estimates 80% of his diagnoses are based on physical exam.
Believe it or not, when a veterinarian performs a thorough exam s/he
assesses over 50 parameters. The ability to do this well is probably the most important skill a vet possesses. Pet parents can learn how to perform
a mini physical exam to learn what is normal for their pet.
At
Paoli Vetcare, we tailor our care to your pet. Rest assured that our recommendations for feeding, parasite prevention, vaccines, dental care and diagnostic testing are based on each individual pet’s physical exam findings, age, breed, sex, and lifestyle and medical history. We don’t believe a one-size-fits-all package of annual blood tests is a cost-effective approach to veterinary medicine.
Paoli Vetcare is one of an elite group of veterinary hospitals that maintain the highest standards of excellence. Nearly 60% of pet owners think their veterinary hospital is accredited when it is not.
AAHA-accredited hospitals are the only animal hospitals to regularly pass onsite evaluations based on more than 900 standards of veterinary care. Only 15% of vet hospitals are accredited!
Together the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) have developed new health guidelines for dogs and cats. Recent research has found that vet visits are declining while preventable diseases in pets are increasing. The guidelines provide the foundation for the the practice of preventive veterinary medicine.
It is more important than ever to realize the value of routine wellness care. A comprehensive approach to your pet’s healthcare enhances the human-animal bond. Many pet parents only think of vet visits in association with vaccination and treatment of obvious disease. But, preventive vet care is a critical part of the prescription for a long, happy and healthy relationship with your pet.
