Prevention of any disease is the first step to a healthy and quality life. Regular health checkups and assessments are some of the best ways to detect any infection and preventing it from causing irreversible damage to the body. It’s a well-established fact that preventive care and early medical intervention goes a long way in ensuring one’s well-being. Like humans, regular wellness evaluations are essential for pets. Veterinarians from the Virginia Beach veterinary hospital emphasize the importance of medical checkups.
A statistical report by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital Association has indicated that the number of pets brought to the vets has decreased. Another shocking finding made by the team is that the cases of preventable diseases in pets have gone up.
How frequently should pet owners take their pets to the vet?
For humans, biannual dental cleanings, regular blood tests, yearly eye examinations are some of the most basic medical reviews recommended. Deciding how frequently one should take their pets to the vet can be tricky. The frequency for medical checkups in pets largely depends upon their breed, size, and age. A medium-sized dog at the year of age equals 15 human years. In their second year, dogs’ age is equal to nine human years. Dogs older than seven years are considered senior or elder. If you have a pet whose lifespan is short, you must bring them to the veterinary hospital once a year for medical checkups. Similarly, older pets should also receive an annual or biannual medical evaluation.
Wellness examination in pets
Medical examination in pets is similar to a medical evaluation in humans. At the start of the medical checkup, the vet will first ask about the pet’s medical history. They will also ask you about your pet’s lifestyle, diet, and behavior. The next step involves checking the pet’s body temperature, weight, and respiratory function.
Once the vet has completed the tests, they perform a comprehensive head-to-tail assessment. Besides this, the vets also conduct tests on vital external and internal organs like the eyes, mouth, ears, abdomen, lungs, heart, lymph nodes, etc.
The detailed report allows the pet to unearth any underlying health issues and make recommendations to treat them.
Veterinarians also suggest other annual examinations like intestinal parasite screenings, heartworm testing to look for the presence of any zoonotic diseases. Your vet may suggest dental checks, dietary changes, and medication as per your pet’s lab reports or condition.
Why Routine Medical Check-up of pets essential?
For most pet owners, pets are an essential part of their family. Pets are treated and cared for as any other family member. Even the slightest discomfort to the pet concerns their pet parents-moreover the pets are expert at hiding their pain. It’s hard to tell if a pet is suffering from any disease unless there are visible signs. It has been noted that pets don’t show any signs or symptoms of the disease even after becoming a severe health problem. Thus, pet parents must take their pets to the vet for routine checkups. Health issues like obesity, diabetes, infections, or dental disorders can be detected early and prevented from turning fatal. The regular medical examination helps you keep your pet healthy and happy.