Yay! It looks like winter is finally starting to loosen its grip a little. As the weather improves, people and pets tend to be out and about more – now would be a great time to check to see if your pet is do for:
Vaccinations: Frequency depends on the individual vaccine and your pet’s lifestyle. We use a 3 year Rabies vaccine for dogs but Kennel Cough and Leptospirosis vaccinations should be boostered annually.
Physical Exam: At least once a year for young adult pets and every six months for senior pets. Don’t forget that pets age at a faster rate than we do so a year in the life of a dog or cat is equivalent to 4-7 years for a human. Routine physical exams are very important to assess your pet’s overall health and well-being and to help identify any subtle changes or potential problems sooner rather than later. Remember as well that pets (especially cats) can be masters of disguise when it comes to hiding early or subtle changes in their health – unlike people, pets often don’t show any signs of an illness until it is quite advanced.
Fecal Exam: Should be done annually – especially because of the risk intestinal parasites in dogs and cats can pose a significant health risk to humans.
Heartworm Test: The frequency of this blood test will depend on how old your pet is, travel history and what type of parasite prevention product your pet is currently on.
Parasite Prevention: Based on your pet’s life style and your preferences, we will recommend products that prevent and or treat parasites such as fleas, ticks, heartworm, mites and intestinal parasites in either pill or topical solutions.
Geriatric Health Screen: We recommend that senior pets have a Geriatric Health Screen (a blood and urine test) at least annually to monitor the health of his or her internal organs.
Lumps and Bumps: If your pet develops a new lump or bump on his or her body or an existing lump changes in size or character, it is important to get it checked out!
Please give us a call at 705-759-8888 to set up an appointment or to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. Hope to see you and your pet(s) soon!