When you get the card in the mail that your pet is due for vaccines and an annual examination, you may be wondering if that is really necessary. Your dog or cat may be very healthy, and you may not see the need to make an appointment to take him or her to the veterinarian. That being said, it is really important to take your pet to the veterinarian when he or she is due for an annual examination.
Here are some reasons why your pet needs to have an annual examination.
It helps to develop a relationship with your veterinarian.
Both you and your pet will get to know a veterinarian and her team so that you feel comfortable asking questions when you need help.
You will also know who to call when an emergency strikes.
If you get home and find that your dog has been vomiting all over your home, you will know who to call. Even if they aren’t able to squeeze you in (or they aren’t open), they should have a phone number of a local emergency veterinarian that they trust.
Your veterinarian will be able to establish what is normal (and what isn’t normal with your pet).
Whether you decide to do blood work or not, your veterinarian will learn more about your pet during an examination. He or she will learn what is normal for your pet and what isn’t.
This will help your veterinarian catch something early.
Your veterinarian will do a thorough examination to see if anything is wrong with your pet. They may be able to find something early, such as a mass or something abnormal in the blood work. At this point, it may be easier to treat (and more likely to be successful). It will also cost less money!
When your pet comes in for his or her annual examination, it will ensure that he or she gets the vaccines needed.
This is important to protect both your pet and your family. You shouldn’t let your pet’s vaccines get overdue.
You will also know that you are doing everything that you need to do when it comes to keeping your pet healthy.
Your veterinarian and his or her team will be able to talk to you about their recommendations, including the best food, as well as what flea and tick prevention and heartworm prevention that you should be using.
The annual examination also gives you a chance to talk to your veterinarian about the things that are bothering you.
You can talk about his or her weight, any nutrition questions that you may have, as well as any health concerns that you are worried about.
That being said, senior pets should really have an examination every six months. Here are some reasons why.
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Senior pets age much quicker than their younger counterparts.
They seem to get health problems that go downhill quickly. This can include arthritis and trouble getting around, as well as kidney disease, heart failure, liver disease, and much more.
By having an examination every six months, you are going to help your senior pet stay as healthy as possible.
Your veterinarian will continue to look for things that could be a problem, trying to catch them early. By doing this, you are helping your senior pet have the best life possible.
So, what does your veterinarian look for in an examination?
Your veterinarian will examine your pet from head to tail, and everything in between.
He or she will look at your pet’s eyes and ears to make sure that they are free of infection.
Any swelling and redness will be examined in order to get your pet comfortable again.
Your veterinarian will listen to your pet’s heart and lungs.
At this time, you should let him or her know if your pet has been coughing, sneezing, or is having trouble breathing.
He or she will do a thorough examination of your pet’s skin.
Your veterinarian will look for any patches of hair loss and shedding. He or she will look for itchiness and a change in color due to your pet digging at his or her skin.
Your veterinarian will feel your pet’s abdomen.
He or she will feel for the kidneys, liver, and even for any masses that may be in your pet’s abdomen.
Your veterinarian will also look at the health of your pet’s mouth.
Dental disease is a real problem in both dogs and cats because most owners are unable to brush their teeth.
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If you have an older dog, you may want to do some blood work to check his or her values. Here are some reasons why you should consider this.
You will be able to figure out baseline values for your pet.
If he or she ever did have problems, you would know what his or her normal values were.
You can catch problems early.
You may be able to determine that your pet has kidney disease, in the beginning stage, which allows you to treat it and slow down the progression of the disease.
You may even need to have blood work done to make sure that your pet can take a certain medication.
Your veterinarian may request blood work since some medications can be hard on your pet’s kidneys and liver. He or she is going to want to make sure that your pet is healthy enough to take it, then recheck it to make sure that it isn’t doing any damage to them.
You are also going to want to make sure that your pet is able to go under anesthesia before you put him or her through it.
Since anesthesia will put a strain on your pet, you are going to want to make sure that he or she doesn’t have any underlying issues preventing you from doing so.
Though you may not want to take your pet to the veterinarian every year (or every six months), it really is important. You are going to want to have someone that you trust when you really need to. It also helps to catch things early, which gives you the best chance at fixing the problem (or at least slowing it down).
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Please note that the information provided is for educational and informational purposes only. Even though I am a veterinary professional, this blog is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice.
If your pet is experiencing a medical problem or concern, please contact a veterinary health professional immediately.
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