Preventive health care is the best medicine for your pet

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When is the last time your pet visited your veterinarian for an examination? Did you know that both dogs and cats should have annual physical examinations at a minimum? And that older pets may actually need exams even more often? What about the diet? Does your pet get enough exercise? How about parasites? These things are all important in looking after your pet.

What is preventive health care?

What exactly does preventive health care involve? Is an annual physical examination all your pet needs?

Not by a long shot. Preventive health care is something you should focus on every day with your pet. Preventive health care involves feeding your pet a high quality, well-balanced diet. A good diet can go a long ways towards keeping your pet healthy.

Regular exercise is also a must for pets. More than 1/2 of our domestic dogs and cats are considered either overweight or obese. And weight issues predispose our pets to a variety of diseases that can be prevented by keeping your pet lean.

In addition to burning calories and keeping your pet lean, exercise also keeps joints and muscles supple and healthy. Just as it is for people, exercise is a mandatory routine for pets and should be part of a good preventive health care program. Dogs can get exercise in a variety of ways - walking, jogging, hiking, swimming and many more. Cats can be encouraged to exercise by using interactive toys. For both dogs and cats, food puzzles can be used to provide both exercise and mental stimulation.

Controlling parasites is an important part of preventive health care for your pet also. This includes both internal parasites like heartworms and intestinal worms (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, etc.) and external parasites such as fleas and ticks.

Veterinary care for your dog or cat

Just as people should have regular check-ups, our animals should too. A regular check-up by your veterinarian should include a head to tail physical examination. Fecal examinations, blood testing for heartworms, feline leukemia, feline AIDS, Lyme disease and other diseases may be recommended as well. Routine blood screens and urine testing may be advisable, especially for mature animals also.

By looking after your pet's preventive health care, you can help your pet not only live longer but also more comfortably.