Every Month is Pet Wellness Month!!!

    For millions of health-conscious Americans, the annual checkup has become a routine practice. Like people, dogs and cats can benefit from routine wellness exams too. But with one important difference - pets age faster than people.

     On average, most dogs and cats reach adulthood by age two.   By age four, many pets are entering middle age. And by age seven, most dogs, particularly larger breeds, are entering their senior years.  To see how old your pet is in "human" years, click here.

     Because dogs and cats age seven times faster, on average, than people, significant health changes can occur in a short amount of time. And, the risks of cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, heart disease, metabolic problems and other serious conditions all increase with age.

  Taking your dog or cat to the veterinarian once a year is the same as you seeing your doctor or dentist once every seven years!  We recommend that your pet receive a wellness exam every six months so that we may detect, treat or, ideally, prevent problems before they become life-threatening.

     Prevention is the real goal of twice-a-year wellness exams.  When your pet is examined on a regular basis, this will help your pet avoid some preventable illnesses and diseases. Plus, your pet may never have to suffer from pain that could be treated or prevented by the veterinarian.

     Pet wellness exams include screenings for a variety of potential diseases. These screenings are accompanied by an individualized risk assessment of your pet's environment - where you live, emerging disease risks in your community, your pet's interaction with other pets and wildlife, travel plans, and other lifestyle considerations.

  Pet wellness exams also help us determine a proper prevention program, including a vaccination schedule tailored specifically for your pet. By using personalized pet health protocols, we can pinpoint specific preventive health care needs for your pet.

     Information about the pet aging process, disease prevention and twice-a-year wellness exams is available through the National Pet Wellness Month Web site - www.NPWM.com.