What Does Preventative Care Look Like for Dogs and Cats?
By Dr. Susan Nelson
By having your pet visit your veterinarian regularly for preventive care, many medical problems can be detected early and treated, or prevented entirely. As in human medicine, early detection and treatment of disease is better for your pet…and easier on your pocket book. In other words, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure!
It is a fact that dogs and cats age at a faster rate than humans. For many years it was believed that a year in a dog’s life was equal to seven human years; but now we know that isn’t quite true. At the end of the first year of a puppy’s life, it is now thought they are around 15 years of age in human years; and by the time they reach two years of age, they are around 25 in human years. After that, each year of life a dog ages is equal to about four to five human years, with larger breed dogs aging at a faster rate than smaller breed dogs. Cats age roughly at the same rate as dogs for their first two years of life and then slow down and age about four human years for each of their additional years of life.
The more rapid aging process of our dogs and cats makes it imperative for them to see their veterinarian at least once a year, and more often as they become older. When you have your pet visit their veterinarian regularly for preventive care, it helps them to identify your pet's particular risk factors based on their age, lifestyle, weight, genetics, etc. so that measures can be taken to prevent or minimize the effects of many diseases they may be at risk for developing. There are wellness standards and guidelines for our pets that have been developed by national and specialty veterinary associations and utilized by veterinarians who strive to provide the best care for your furry family members.
What should you expect?
So what should you expect when it comes to preventive care for your pet? First, a good history from you to learn what your pet eats and how much; what types of activity it participates in; if it is in contact with other animals; if it tires out easily; any changes in its bowel and urination habits; changes in eating, sleeping or drinking; any behavior changes, and any lameness, to name a few.
Next, a good head to toe physical exam. Things commonly found are heart murmurs; lumps in the skin; enlarged or small organs; dental disease including retained and broken teeth; glaucoma or other eye issues, ear infections, painful joints; fleas, ticks and other skin diseases. Although many of these sound scary, if addressed early on, many are curable and/or can be managed for a longer duration of a good quality of life.
After getting your history and a good physical exam, your veterinarian will then discuss with you any recommended tests. For dogs, a heartworm test to test for this blood parasite and fecal analysis to check for intestinal parasites are typically recommended on an annual basis, sometimes more frequently. For cats, a fecal examination is also recommended along with possible testing for feline leukemia (FELV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). For all older patients, bloodwork and urinalysis are recommended to check for issues such as liver or kidney disease, diabetes, anemia and infection. A thyroid check may also be recommended as well as checking blood pressure. Your veterinarian may also recommend x-rays if your dog is lame, coughing, or unexpectedly losing weight. Testing of any skin masses or of the eyes may be recommended if there are concerns with them.
Many pets need an annual dental cleaning that includes dental x-rays to look for disease that occurs below the gumline. As with people, much of dental disease lurks below where we can’t see it. If this disease is not addressed in its early stages, it leads to early tooth loss and a painful mouth. Additionally, bacteria from dental disease can also travel through the blood stream to affect other organs in the body, such as the heart.
Your pet’s immunization status will also be checked and boosters will be given if needed. Your veterinarian will make recommendations on which vaccines your pet should receive based on the lifestyle history you give for your pet. As with people, vaccinations can prevent many serious diseases and pose little risk for your pet.
Your pet is also prone to acquiring fleas, ticks and other skin parasites. Intestinal parasites can cause serious illness in our pets and many can be transmitted to people as well. Your veterinarian will discuss and recommend which preventives are the best ones for your pet.
If your pet is not already altered, your veterinarian will discuss spaying (for females) or neutering (for males) and the right time to have this surgery performed for your pet. Both can help decrease the risk of several diseases, such as mammary cancer, uterine cancer, prostate disease and testicular cancer. It will also help to decrease roaming in search of a mate, urine marking and intermale aggression. For deep-chested dogs, tacking of the stomach to the abdominal wall to stop it from twisting should they develop stomach bloat in the future may also be recommended to be performed at the same time. Lastly, many pets have retained baby teeth removed at the time of their spay or neuter.
Healthy Weight
Finally, let’s not forget about weight. Over 50% of pets in the US are overweight or obese. This can lead to several other problems such as lameness, diabetes mellitus, heart disease and cancer. Overweight pets also have shorter lifespans than their leaner counterparts. Your veterinarian can help detect early weight gain and make recommendations on what you can do to help keep your pet at a leaner and healthier weight.
As you can see, a lot is involved when it comes to preventive care for your pet; but the long-term savings, as well as knowing you have done all you can do to keep your beloved friend with you as long as possible, make it all worth-while.
So what are you waiting for? Call your veterinarian and make a wellness appointment for your precious four-legged family member today!