Preventative care is very important in ensuring a long healthy life for you furry friend. Each year your pet should be taken in to see the vet for their annual exam and vaccinations. We currently send reminders cards through mail as well as a text message as reminder to take your pet in for vaccinations before they are overdue, so make sure your phone number and address is up to date when you visit the clinic. We understand it can be hard keeping track of annual care for your pet so allow us to assist you and ease some of that burden, this will help save your pet from developing a number of illnesses since we can pinpoint abnormal instances as well as possible development of these diseases or illness that if caught early enough can be treated. This is especially important if you travel often with your pet, your pet is interacting with a number of animals on a daily basis, if your pet is outdoors often, and if you interact with other animals often. We may not realize it but there are so many pathogens that we may also welcome into the home from simply being outdoors around other animals, or even where other animals have been. This can be taken home to your furry friend and possibly lead to a sickness. There are also a few diseases that we can catch from our pets such as Rabies or Leptospirosis. We want to protect both your pet and you, so see us for those annual exams and vaccination visits. When you stop by, don’t forget to pick up your flea, tick, and heartworm prevention. You may not realize it but it’s fairly easy for your pet to catch the diseases developed from fleas, ticks, and heartworms. Its as easy as being bitten by a tick which can lead to diseases such as lyme disease or being bitten by a mosquito which can lead to the development of heartworms in the heart.

When in doubt, see the vet! Often times we have owners wait days, weeks, sometimes months to have their pets seen for issues that are very uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes even life threatening. If your pet is not eating or drinking, that is enough reason to bring your pet into the vet as soon as possible. Waiting too long can lead to further health issues. Another warning sign is scratching at ears, abdomen, etc. this can be warning signs of allergies or possible infections that are very uncomfortable for our friends. Look out for issues with urination or defecation such as constant squatting, blood in urine, or diarrhea. This can be a sign of a possible bladder infection or intestinal parasites. When making a visit for these appointments, don’t forget your urine and stool! We need samples to test and ensure we are not missing something that cannot be seen with the naked eye. If you ever have fear that your pet may be ill, the best thing to do is at least call so we can determine if your pet needs to be seen or not. More often than not these issues can be fixed by seeing us regularly for preventative care. This will help save money for you in the long term! We can educate you on things to come throughout all stages of your pets life and notify you when there are things you need to look out for.

Have more questions? Visit the AVMA website: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/money-tips-caring-pet-owners and  https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/yourvet/10-things-you-can-do-make-veterinary-visits-better-everyone