Most people aren’t aware that our pets can get nearly every disease and disorder that people can. In many ways animals medical needs are not much different than humans’. Pets need to go to their vet for preventative reasons such as vaccinations and routine blood work, a variety of illnesses, and even for more severe/emergency type situations. Just like it is with people, when illness is prevented or caught early, the expense is less and the pet also has an improved quality of life.
When you focus your attention on preventing problems and bring your pet in regularly for check-ups, you will save money in the long run. Your pet will also be healthier because if a problem does develop it will be diagnosed sooner. When a disease is caught early there are normally more medical options that are less expensive. Even if your pet seems healthy, take the time and bring him/her in for at least a yearly check-up (most vets actually recommend twice a year check-ups). Your vet is trained to notice things that you may not. Keeping up on required vaccinations is also important. You can ask your vet which ones are really necessary depending on where you live and your pet’s lifestyle. In most cases vaccines shouldn’t be stopped completely because they do protect against deadly viruses and will wear off with time. If your pet is getting older (over 6 or so) then your vet may also want to do some senior blood work. This is a great way to find potential internal problems early.
General illnesses are certainly another large category of why you need to bring your pet to the vet. Some things like respiratory infections or urinary tract infections (to name a few) can be hard to prevent and do just happen. The key is to not let the problem escalate and get severe. If you notice your pet doing something new like coughing or urinating more frequently then you can give your vet’s office a call. Generally speaking, if it has only been going on a day or so and your pet is acting fine otherwise then your vet may say it is okay to wait. If your pet is acting lethargic or the problem seems to be worsening then your vet will probably want you to bring your pet in for an examination.
Lastly there are emergency type situations. This is obviously a quite costly category and these things can often be avoided. Vets still, unfortunately, see quite a few pets that are hit by a car. Keeping your pets inside or supervised on a leash when they are outside will prevent this from occurring. It is also especially important to neuter your male dog because they may try to escape otherwise. There are a number of diseases that can worsen over time (like congestive heart failure and kidney disease for example). The key is to stay on top of these conditions and catch them early so it doesn’t become an emergency situation. Problems that are diagnosed early in the disease process and treated appropriately will give your pet a longer lifespan and a better quality of life.
We hope this discussion will help encourage you to bring your pets in for routine checkups and contact your vet early on if you feel there is a problem. You will keep your pet healthy and save money in the long run.
