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A common series of the questions I typically get is, “Doc, how typically does my pet need to opt for a checkup?” This question is typically then followed up by a pet owner stating their pet is mostly indoors or around the house and is not exposed to numerous other animals or diseases, and eats and acts completely normal.
The answer to such questions will vary depending upon the individual pet, in terms of his or her age, lifestyle, and risk of exposure to other animals and/or infectious diseases. Animal guardians typically don’t realize many people can act as what are called “fomites,” which implies we can carry infectious diseases into our animals — even those strictly inside or that stay in the yard. the best example of this is canine parvovirus, which can live in the soil for years and can survive in oral or fecal secretions that we may carry in on our shoes or clothing, especially if we deal with other animals or go where animals are usually walked or may roam.
Proper but not over-vaccination can help avoid such infectious diseases. The frequency and type of vaccinations your pet will need will again be identified by your pet’s age, lifestyle, and general state of health. We’re starting to learn that immunity to numerous core viruses in dogs and cats lasts for several years, making annual vaccination for numerous diseases unnecessary and overkill. However, it’s essential for us as veterinarians to re-educate clients away from the need to only see the veterinarian just for shots when that time comes, and to tension the significance of an annual or semiannual physical exam in older pets. These exams may include a complete oral and physical exam, as well as blood work, urine testing and/or x-rays to discover early diseases seen as animals age.
Conditions like periodontal disease are seen in the majority of animals past middle age, and early heart, kidney or liver problems can be detected by a extensive exam and bloodwork, urine analysis, x-rays and EKGs if needed. as with people, middle aged and older animals can suffer from hormonal conditions of the thyroid gland as well as diabetes, which when detected early on, can be much more easily managed. annual microscopic stool exams can discover microscopic parasitic eggs that in some cases pose risks to humans, as well as annual blood testing for the mosquito-transmitted heartworm disease. Both tests ought to be completed to insure both your canine and cat aren’t harboring potentially harmful worms.
Various flea and tick preventative products can help you and your veterinarian come up with the best product or group of products to help safeguard your pet against fleas, ticks and other external parasites. The selection of the suitable heartworm and intestinal worm preventative is also essential to stay current on so your pet remains protected against both heartworms and intestinal parasites.
Over time, much more vets are stressing earlier preventative dental programs using terrific dental products like C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste or C.E.T. Rinse to help avoid tartar buildup, premature tooth loss, gum inflammation, and oral pain, as well as secondary infections elsewhere in the body that begin in the mouth. even with regular dental preventative care, numerous animals will still need their teeth cleaned periodically with ultrasonic scaling, which is another reason to see your vet once to twice yearly. And as a ideal example of early detection, if an older pet is diagnosed with medical symptoms related to early heart disease, newer and revolutionary prescription drugs like Vetmedin, have been shown to actually enhance survivability of dogs when used early on in the course of this disease.
All of these reasons are why your animals ought to have at least one annual exam, and semiannual exams for older pets. many veterinarians are aware of the current economic stresses of modern times and will work with pet owners on which tests and products are required for their individual pets, based on their lifestyle and physical exam findings.
Pet Health