Your little furry friends are more than just pets. They’re like extended family members. In fact, most people view their pets as children. So as a concerned parent, you want to do what’s best for your furry babies.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re pet is a cub or an adult animal, getting proper veterinarian care is a must. However, there are some pet owners who ignore this fact, which only places their beloved pets in harm’s way.
If you want to do right by your pets, then you need to stay up-to-date with their visits to the vet. But if this isn’t enough to convince you, here are the top 7 reasons why you should change your mind.
1. Pets Need Annual Veterinarian Care
Animals are people too. And like people, pets require regular checkups with a veterinarian. You should take your pet to the vet at least once a year. This way, you can learn of any hidden problems that may be present.
Missing regular checkups places your pet at risk of getting ticks, fleas, heartworms, rabies and all sorts of other diseases that can sometimes turn fatal.
Make sure your pets are getting the proper vaccinations to prevent these common problems. Normally, your pet receives vaccines during regular checkups on an annual basis.
Who knows, you may find out your pet has a cancerous tumor or harmful parasites. If these aren’t caught early, it can prove detrimental to the well-being of your pet.
2. Some Symptoms Aren’t Visible
There are some illnesses that have obvious symptoms and signs, but there are others that go unnoticed for a long time. And as with any illness, if you wait too long to get treatment, it will only grow worse.
It’s not easy to spot these ailments, which is why we recommend taking your pet to the vet regularly. There are instances where pets live with a fatal disease for years before it’s recognized, all because the owner neglected regular vet checkups.
Unfortunately, many wait until it’s too late and end up losing their fuzzy buddy. It’s a sad situation that can be easily avoided by sticking with scheduled vet appointments.
If you ever notice your pet acting strangely, it’s important to take your pet to the vet right away. This may be an indicator that something’s wrong.
3. Educate Yourself About Your Pet’s Conditions
Say your pet does have a condition that’s found by your vet. It’s necessary to understand the condition fully, so you can keep your pet healthy. The condition may require more frequent veterinarian care, at-home treatments and/or precautions to take at home.
For instance, if your dog has epilepsy, you can learn how to reduce episodes by safeguarding your pet from things that can trigger it.
Or maybe he has another condition where a diet change is in order or certain physical activities must change. The more you know about your pet’s illnesses, the higher their chance of becoming better.
4. Medical Conditions May Form as Your Pet Ages
All life forms grow older, and with age comes health issues. So even if you feel your dog is in tip-top shape, there may be underlying problems you’re unaware of.
It’s very common for pets to develop new or worsened conditions as they grow older. With proper veterinarian care, you can catch these issues early on or even prevent them.
Senior pets normally require daily medications to maintain optimal health. At this point, it becomes especially important to take your pet to regular vet visits to keep a close eye on her health.
Medical conditions can show up at any age. However, certain issues tend to pop up more regularly, such as hip and joint problems, respiration issues, heart conditions, cancer and other potentially fatal health concerns.
5. Save Money Over the Long-Term
Avoiding regular veterinarian care will only make matters worse for your pet and your finances. If certain conditions aren’t found early enough, you may end up paying more money to try and fix the problem.
As they say, it’s best to nip problems in the bud. And in doing so, you can reduce your medical expenses substantially. For instance, if a small tumorous growth is found, the vet can surgically remove it before it spreads.
Once it spreads, a number of medications, surgery, and treatments increases exponentially.
6. Regular Dental Checkups is a Must
Your pet’s teeth aren’t immune to dental issues we commonly see in humans. For instance, your pet may end up with gum disease, decayed teeth, and gingivitis.
With regular checkups, these issues are found and nipped in the bud. Your vet can also provide you with tips on how to care for your pet’s teeth properly.
For instance, there are certain foods and chew toys that are known to strengthen and clean the teeth and gums. You can even go as far as to brush your pet’s teeth daily.
7. The Top 10 Conditions Threaten Your Pet’s Health
There are 10 conditions that are commonly found in felines and canines. So if you own a cat or dog, then regular visits to the vet is crucial.
Let’s review the top 10 conditions for dogs:
- Atopic or allergic dermatitis
- Ear infections
- Pyoderma (hot spots)
- Benign skin neoplasia
- Upset stomach
- Periodontitis/tooth infection
- Intestinal inflammation/diarrhea
- Cystitis or urinary tract disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Anal gland sacculitis/expression
Then for your cats, these are the leading health problems:
- Periodontitis/tooth infection
- Renal disease or failure
- Cystitis or urinary tract disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Upset stomach
- Hyperthyroidism
- Intestinal inflammation/diarrhea
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Valvular heart disease or murmur
- topic or allergic dermatitis
Get the Veterinarian Care Your Pet Needs
Taking your pet to the vet shouldn’t be a matter of if, but when. The same goes for the health of your pet – it’s very rare for an animal to live its entire life without any health problems.
So it’s up to you as a pet owner to do what’s best for your furry pal. At Sykesville Veterinary Clinic, we offer services to dogs, cats and even pocket pets (birds, hamsters, etc).
Our vets offer a full-range of veterinarian care, which includes dentistry, radiology, chemotherapy, ultrasounds, glaucoma screening and blood pressure screening. We even have an in-house lab and special discounts for senior pets and multiple pet owners.
If you’d like to schedule a consultation with one of our vets, contact us today!