The Importance of Wellness Exams for Pets

Like humans, pets can also benefit from routine wellness exams with the doctor. Even if your animal companion is young and looks healthy, bringing them regularly to the veterinarian is essential for keeping them fit for the years to come. Here are the key reasons you should take your furbaby for a vet checkup at least once a year:

• Preventive Care and Early Intervention. Performing routine checkups is the most effective way to stop diseases before they occur or catch them early before the problem can do any real harm. During the visit, your vet will record your pet’s temperature, weight, pulse rate, and respiration rate. They will also scan your dog or cat for any signs of illness and perform blood tests to verify that your pet’s internal parameters are up to par. This is also the time when your vet will administer booster shots and ensure that your pet is up-to-date with all their vaccinations. Visiting the vet for wellness exams is crucial in spotting health issues early on. This way, they can act quickly and provide a more effective treatment.
  
  

• Mitigate Silent Suffering of Your Pet. Animals are genetically wired to hide frailty. They instinctively know that showing any signs of sickness or weakness can make them vulnerable, making them targets for predators. That’s why they are excellent at masking their discomfort in the interest of self-preservation. In fact, signs often only show when pets couldn’t hide them any longer. The best way to overcome your pet’s silent suffering is through wellness exams. Your vet is trained to detect any subtle changes in your pet’s physical health. For example, an eye exam can reveal inflammation or early cataracts. A dental exam can expose infected or painful teeth. When the vet listens to your pet’s heart, he or she can pick up heart murmurs. Listening to your dog or cat’s lungs help them catch wheezing or crackles.

How Often Should Your Pet See a Vet?

How often you should visit the veterinarian for a wellness exam depends on your dog or cat’s life stage. From birth to one year, you’ll have to bring your furbaby to the vet for vaccines every few weeks until they are four months old. You may bring your pet in by the time they are about six months old for spaying or neutering. Your vet will also likely check around this time how your pet’s training, housebreaking, and socialization is going.

Between one to 10 years, your vet will advise annual checkups for a head-to-tail exam, depending on pet type and breed. They will also check for heartworms and recommend other tests based on anything they find out of the ordinary during the exam or any health problem your pet has.

Your vet will recommend visiting twice a year for older dogs aged between seven to 10 years or older. Vaccinations will still be kept up-to-date, and a thorough physical exam will be performed. This comes along with screening procedures to follow up on any existing conditions.

The primary goal of wellness exams for pets is to keep them happy and healthy. Do you want any potential health problems detected early, so your beloved companion can live a much longer, healthier life? Visit our team of experts at Chaparral Veterinary Medical Center today. Call our clinic in Cave Creek, Arizona, now to schedule your pet’s checkup.