If your pet is young and healthy, wellness care may seem unimportant. We get it. Taking time off work and factoring in the time you have to spend wrangling your furry pal into their carrier or the car, are enough to make you want to visit The Old 41 Animal Hospital only when your pet is seriously ill. 

However, by skipping your pet’s regular wellness care, you’re exposing them to preventable conditions that can ultimately prove fatal. Wellness care provides your pet with a ton of perks, including some for you, that you don’t want to miss. Learn about the top five benefits your pet receives when you ensure they attend their regular wellness care appointments.

Benefit #1: Wellness care protects you and your pet from infectious diseases

Vaccination is one of wellness care’s cornerstones. By administering lifestyle-appropriate vaccinations to your pet as needed, our team ensures your furry pal’s immune system stays primed and ready to fight off infectious invaders. Vaccination gaps can cause your pet’s antibody levels to drop to inadequate levels, leaving them vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. 

Keep in mind that you are also susceptible to certain diseases if your pet falls ill because of lapsed vaccinations. Diseases that can be transmitted between animals and people (i.e., zoonotic diseases) include leptospirosis, rabies, and various other pathogens and parasites. By scheduling your pet’s regular wellness care, you protect your four-legged friend, yourself and your family, and your entire community. Without annual preventive care, your pet and the two- and four-legged creatures around them are susceptible to a multitude of infectious diseases.

Benefit #2: Wellness care establishes normal baseline values for your pet

Each pet is an individual, but species, breeds, and age groups follow similar patterns. When assessing a pet’s health, our team can look at average results for these and other categories. For example, we can determine if your cat’s kidney values are normal for a cat of their age, or if your dog’s hips appear dysplasia-free for an older German shepherd dog. During your pet’s wellness visits, our team conducts screening tests that may include:

  • A physical exam
  • Intestinal parasite exam
  • Urinalysis
  • A complete blood count (CBC)
  • A blood chemistry panel
  • Thyroid level testing
  • Blood pressure check
  • X-rays

Over time, these serial screening tests form a comprehensive picture of your pet’s total health. If your pet’s normal test results deviate from the range of accepted values but remain the same year after year, we know that your furry pal’s values are truly normal for them. These serial results establish a baseline of your pet’s normal values, although they may not be the same normal values as most other pets.

Benefit #3: Wellness care can detect your pet has an early stage disease

Pets are incredibly skilled at compensating for illness or injury, and can often manage pain, illness, or organ dysfunction until the condition has reached an advanced stage. Cats are particularly notorious for hiding health problems until they become seriously ill. However, if you wait until your pet exhibits health or behavior changes before they have a veterinary examination, they can potentially develop irreversible or untreatable disease.

When your pet receives annual or semiannual wellness care, our veterinary team can catch many health concerns long before they become serious problems. Through regular screening tests, we can detect subtle changes in and deviations from your pet’s normal, potentially detecting a disease in its early stage. The earlier we suspect your pet has a disease, we can treat the condition before it becomes serious, leading to a positive prognosis for your pet.

Benefit #4: Wellness care can help your pet avoid disease

Illness and disease can occur quickly in pets, especially if they do not receive preventive care. For example, without regular dental care, both at home and in a veterinary hospital, your pet can rapidly develop dental disease. One of the most common diseases veterinarians treat, dental disease affects almost all pets by age 3 and can lead to pain, jawbone deterioration, systemic infection, and organ disease. By scheduling your pet’s regular wellness care visits, such as annual dental cleanings, obesity prevention weigh-ins, or medicated ear cleanings, you can greatly improve your furry pal’s health and ward off preventable conditions.

Benefit #5: Wellness care for your pet can save you money

When caring for your vehicle, you know that budgeting for and scheduling regular maintenance and upkeep help you avoid costly repair bills that could have been prevented. The same concept applies to your pet’s wellness care. By keeping your furry pal in good health through regular wellness care, you can prevent costly emergency situations.

Your four-legged friend’s regular wellness care is critical. Schedule your pet’s annual preventive care visit with our team at The Old 41 Animal Hospital.