Is the annual vet visit worth it? Here’s what you can expect.
An annual wellness checkup for your pet dog, cat, or other animal is a highly useful and recommended service. Even if you feel that your pet is just fine, vet visits are great for getting professional, tailored advice and health services that you can’t administer at home. You might have heard that your pet needs an annual vet visit throughout its life. What happens at an annual vet visit, anyway?
1. Physical Examination
An annual vet visit has similarities to an annual checkup at the doctor’s. A qualified vet will give your pet a physical examination to see if there are any abnormalities in its skin, mobility, fur, eyes, ears, nose, etc.
2. Dental Evaluation
Pets don’t generally have dentists; dental care is grouped into veterinary services. Your vet will also evaluate your pet’s dental health and can offer a dental cleaning. The veterinary practice can also treat and prescribe treatment for any dental problems.
3. Nutrition and Weight
Now is a great time to let a professional evaluate your pet’s diet and weight and make future plans for physical health success. Diet plays a huge role in a pet’s health; your vet can recommend a diet plan that will enhance your pet’s physical health and address any problems.
4. Behavior and Lifestyle
Your vet can also give advice on behavior training, exercise, and other lifestyle concerns. If your pet is displaying changes in habit, energy level, or appetite, you can bring this information to your vet. It could be a sign of a health issue.
5. A Tailored Plan
Every pet is different, even ones within the same breed or litter. Your vet can give you a tailored plan for its diet, lifestyle, and any other health treatments it may need to combat health problems or risks.
6. Additional Veterinary Services
Depending on your pet’s age and health condition, your annual vet visit could also include any of these services:
- Vaccination: Young pets have scheduled vaccinations to protect them from deadly diseases.
- Microchipping: Microchipping your cat or dog allows it to be identified better than a collar, which could get lost.
- Reproductive Care: Your vet can have your pet spayed or neutered, or help you manage your pet’s health if it is not.
- Flea and Tick Prevention: Flea and tick prevention can be topical or oral. They can prevent home infestations and sickness.
- Fecal and Blood Tests: A fecal or blood test can help your vet determine if your pet has parasites or other types of illnesses.
- Senior Care: Senior pets may have additional health concerns that need to be addressed.
Trust the Care of Your Pet to the Professionals at Everhart Veterinary Medicine!
At Everhart Veterinary Medicine, our veterinary professionals strive to provide your pet with the very best of veterinary care. We believe that the best care for your pet should be provided by experienced, compassionate, and knowledgeable veterinary professionals. With three Maryland locations in Baltimore, Pasadena, and Cross Keys, we are always ready to welcome your pet as a new patient! Give us a call today at 410-355-3131, 410-793-7670, or 443-470-6790! For more information, as well as updates on veterinary news and topics, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn!