(Image: Pet visiting the vet's office, by Wix)
We are all trying to save money these days, pet owners included, so what are you to do?
Providing your pet with regular preventative care is the key to a long and healthy life. Investing in preventative healthcare can reduce your long term pet healthcare costs. So, what does that all mean?
Well, preventative care is just what the name suggests - it can prevent diseases that can put your pet's life in jeopardy and be costly to treat. Regular wellness exams also often catch budding health issues that can become bigger problems if left untreated, saving you hundreds –even thousands of dollars. As a vet tech I am trained to ask certain questions about your pet during your pet's wellness exam. These questions give me an understanding about your pet's health, just as a nurse would do for you at a visit to the doctor. These questions help us determine if there are any issues with your pet, it is also a great time for us to get to know you and your pet and also use the time to compare information from last year's exam. For example we may see weight gain or loss in your pet, and these can be indicators of disease. We also use this time to discuss vaccinations, heartworm testing, fecal parasite exams, dental evaluations and more, and of course we love hearing about your pets and their daily lives. Maybe you have a dog that herds sheep or maybe your dog does tricks, or even talks, and oh by the way my grandmother had a cat that said, "ham", true story.
We recommend a wellness visit at a minimum of once per year, although twice per year is better, because you can pick up addition medications or discuss any changes you may have noticed.
Do not feel like you can only take your pet for an exam once per year; as the pet owner you see your pet on a daily basis and know his behaviors the best.
Lastly, please don't take your pet to "Dr. Google." While there is a lot of great information on the internet it can be a challenge to sort out what is reliable, and is most certainly not substitute for a hands-on evaluation by your local vet and vet tech.
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