Preventative care is your pet’s first line of defense. Annual exams help by preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease in its early stages, often before any noticeable symptoms begin. The earlier treatment starts, the more effective it is, keeping your pet from unnecessary pain and suffering.
Even if your pet seems healthy, dogs and cats instinctively hide symptoms of illness and injury–so those signals are easy to miss. There are also some life-threatening conditions that have no symptoms at all until they are very advanced. That’s why we recommend annual exams and health screenings for all adult pets.
At a wellness exam, we will assess your pet’s physical health from nose to tail and perform a diagnostic work-up, which includes blood, fecal, and urine screenings.
> Vaccines
Vaccinating your pet is a relatively inexpensive but essential way to protect his or her health. In addition to preventing many life-threatening illnesses, vaccinations can prevent diseases prevalent in wildlife and those that can be passed to humans.
We can advise you which vaccinations are required or recommended for your pet based on age, health, and lifestyle.
>Parasite Control
Fleas, ticks and other parasites aren’t just annoying. Fleas can transmit tapeworm and cause anemia, while ticks are well-known carriers of many harmful conditions, including Lyme disease.
Heartworm is an even graver threat. Mosquitoes can transmit the parasite to pets in just one bite. As the name suggests, heartworms live in the heart, and they can also thrive in the lungs and blood vessels. Because they constrict blood flow, they can damage internal organs and cause lung disease and heart failure.
Sadly, many pets don’t show symptoms of heartworm infection until the disease is advanced, if at all. While there is treatment for canines, it is expensive and can be very hard on your pet. (There is no heartworm cure for cats.)
Administering regular preventative medication can keep your pet free of parasites all year round. We carry a wide array of parasite preventatives in our on-site pharmacy and online store, all of which are safe and proven effective in protecting dogs and cats from nasty infestations.
Ready to make an appointment for your pet’s wellness exam? Give us a call today at (406) 333-7001 or book a visit online.
