What Is Preventative Health In Our Pets?
As pet parents, there is nothing we want more than a wonderful life for our little ones. There are many ways that we can promote health and happiness in our pets, but preventative health care should always be at the center of their care plan.
Preventative pet care can prevent disease, detect developing illness, and offer you guidance on how to care for your little ones throughout their life. So what exactly is preventative health care in pets? Let’s discuss the details!
So What Is Preventative Health Care In Pets?
You may not realize it, but preventative health care is all around us. It includes yearly vaccines, education on common disease, and even discussions about diet and exercise. We know just how important this care is for humans, but it is essential for pets as well.
Preventative health in pets involves educating pet parents on common disease, preventing illness through prophylactic care, and offering lifestyle guidance through each life stage.
Preventative health care in pets is all about blocking health threats before they can impact our pets. By offering your pet a preventative health care plan, you are essentially providing them with a suit of armor, maximizing their chances of living longer, healthier lives besides you!
Why Does My Pet Need Preventative Care?
Many common health complications in animals are so much easier to prevent than they are to treat. Some of these diseases cause damage that can never be reversed, proving just how important it is to prevent them in the first place. By offering your pet a preventative health care plan, you are protecting them for years to come.
Not only is preventative pet care essential for keeping your pet healthy, but it can also prevent financial strain in the future. Some diseases that cost thousands of dollars to treat can be prevented for a fraction of the cost. At the end of the day, preventative health care for pets is best for everyone involved!
To learn more about why your pet needs preventative care, check out our detailed guide on the topic here.
What Does Preventative Pet Care Involve?
As we mentioned above, there are many different factors that make up a well rounded pet care plan. So what should you expect when you begin your pet’s preventative health care journey? Let’s list the different categories below!
- Annual exams: This involves having your pet seen by a veterinarian each year to not only make sure they are in tip top shape, but to catch any developing disease that is present.
- Vaccinations: Vaccinations can keep our pets healthy from their kitten and puppy stage into their adult life. This can also be tailored to each pet, each location, and each lifestyle.
- Spaying and neutering: Sterilizing your pets is not just for preventing unwanted pregnancy. There are many diseases that can be prevented through sterilization, some of which can be life threatening. Your vet will determine the best time to sterilize your pet and address any concerns you may have about the procedure.
- Parasite prevention: Parasites of all kinds live in the world around our pets. Monthly prevention will keep these critters away from your pet for good, preventing any of the dangerous illnesses they may cause.
- Dental care: Preventative dental care in pets not only involves dental cleanings at your vet’s office, but guidance on home dental care as well. Dental care plans can prevent the pain and infection that dental disease can cause, which ultimately improves your pet’s quality of life.
- Nutritional counseling: Nutrition plays a key role in our pet’s overall health. A healthy diet can prevent so many health complications to come, which is why nutritional counseling should always be included in your animal’s preventative health care plan. Part of nutritional counseling is considering adding supplements to target inflammation, joint support, digestive support and more.
- Life stage screening: Just like in humans, our pets have different health requirements for each stage of their life. As each year goes by, your local vet and your team of veterinary professionals will offer any screenings that are necessary to detect developing illness, as well as offering guidance on proper care.
Each pet care health plan is unique, so your veterinarian will help you determine what is best for your furry friend moving forward.
Does Preventative Pet Care Really Make A Difference?
Preventative pet care makes all the difference for both the pet and the pet parent. Not only does your little one get to avoid painful disease that deeply impacts their life, but your wallet will be spared as well. Let’s give you a few examples of how beneficial preventative pet care can be.
The first condition of many that can be prevented in our pets is severe dental disease. At-home care such as teeth brushing and dental chews can prevent bacteria and plaque from building up on their teeth, allowing them to avoid painful dental infections. This will also make your pet’s regular dental cleanings much less invasive, avoiding the unnecessary pain and expense of tooth extractions. While monthly dental care can cost under $50, multiple tooth extractions can cost over $1,000.
Another health complication that can benefit from preventative care is arthritis. While some pets will always be prone to developing joint pain in their senior years, we can drastically decrease this risk with the use of joint supplements. A daily joint supplement can reduce inflammation, prevent joint damage, and even reduce pain from joint damage that is already present. While these tasty joint chews may cost under $50 a month, physical therapy and surgical joint repair can cost anywhere from $3,000-$5,000.
Preventative Pet Care Saves Lives
Did you know that some of the most common life threatening illnesses in pets can be prevented? This is the case for both cats and dogs, proving just how essential preventative pet care can be.
Some of the many dangerous complications that preventative pet care can ward off include flea and tick disease, infectious illness such as parvovirus or distemper, infections of the uterus, obesity related illness, and so much more. With each of these threats at bay, your pet is free to live the best life possible.
Not every preventable illness can be treated, and many pets lose their lives to these complications each day. We don’t want your little one to be one of them, which is why we suggest implementing a preventative care plan from the moment your pet enters your home.
Preventative Pet Care Is Simple!
Part of what makes preventative pet care so amazing is how simple it is to implement. All it takes is one vet visit to establish a health care plan moving forward, and simply following the guidance of your vet team from then on. These at-home care tasks take about 5 minutes a day and can be implemented into your routine with your pet.
You will always have your vet team in your corner to guide you each step of the way, and offer any additional support if you encounter any bumps in the road. We want you to have the best life possible together, and speaking with veterinary professionals about preventative care is an easy way to do just that.
How Do I Begin My Pet’s Preventative Health Journey?
As we mentioned above, preventative health care in pets is simple! The best part about it is that you will have a team of helpers in your corner, as both your vet and the professionals on Vetted can always guide you in the right direction.
Whether you need advice on vaccine schedules or instructions on how to clean your pet’s ears, you will always have the support needed to care for your little one. The combination of in person preventative medicine and continuous at home care will offer you the foundation for a wonderful future with your beloved companion.
Final Thoughts
Preventative pet care is a combination of seeing your local vet once a year and continuous on-going care from the home. A simple preventative care plan offers our little ones everything they need to thrive, ultimately leading to a long and happy life at our side.
Vetted was created to empower pet parents to give the highest standard of care from home, in between the vet visits! Read more about our membership options here.
