Help your pet live a longer and happier life!

Nowadays, rather than wait until we are ill to go and see our doctor we are encouraged to make some changes to our lifestyle and to have regular checks to ensure that we stay healthier longer. This approach, called Wellness, believes simply that prevention is better than cure, and that early detection helps treatments work better.

This is also being reflected in the way that your veterinary surgeon looks after your pet.

The facilities, equipment and treatments now available, when added to our deeply held wish to help animals have happy and healthy lives, means that there is so much more that we can do to make sure that you have your pet to keep you company for as long as possible. Below are just a few of the many areas with which your veterinary team can help to improve and maintain your pet’s health:

Vaccination

Vaccination against infectious disease is a pillar of Wellness in pets. Safe, effective and long-lasting vaccines have meant that we have been able to reduce the frequency with which we vaccinate pets. Veterinary surgeons will often vary the vaccine used depending on the lifestyle of the pet and the local disease conditions. However, there are still some parts of your pet’s vaccination required annually.

Flea and worm control

A simple way of helping your pet’s health is to make sure their treatment for fleas and worms is up-to-date. Fleas and worms pose not only a burden on your pet’s health but can be a problem for you! In particular, cases of lungworm are increasing.  This disease can be fatal and your pet is at risk if not given the correct wormer as recommended by your veterinary surgeon.  Not all worming products protect against lungworm.  Treatment is easy, effective and safe if you use veterinary recommended medications.

Twice yearly examinations

Your pet’s visit to their veterinary surgeon for vaccination or a six month health-check is a great opportunity for them to have a thorough MOT when they are in good health. For cats and dogs, one human year equates to five to ten years of the pet’s life (depending on the breed), so that an annual check for your pet is the same as you visiting your doctor every 5-10 years!

When will your veterinary surgeon recommend a blood test?

Firstly, remember, in the majority of cases, when detected early, most of the conditions identified by blood tests are treatable. It is good practice to perform a blood test every year, especially if your pet is over six years old, is about to undergo anaesthesia or is on medication. This is because older pets can have poor liver or kidney function so blood and urine tests are very useful in diagnosing this problem. Full organ function is important when receiving anaesthesia or long-term medication for conditions such as arthritis, epilepsy, thyroid disease, heart disease and kidney disease.

What happens with a blood test?

Your veterinary team takes a blood sample from your pet and sends that sample to a laboratory. The laboratory measures the levels of certain chemicals in the bloodstream. These levels inform them on how well the liver, kidneys and the pancreas are performing. The test may be used to give information on the levels of red and white blood cells. Together with a full clinical examination, your veterinary surgeon will be able to make a full assessment of your pet’s health.

Your veterinary team will arrange to speak to you to let you know the results. Remember that normal findings is news to celebrate but that the results of these blood tests could ultimately save your pet’s life and ensure your pet lives a long and healthy life with you.

Is it worth it?

It may seem like a lot of work to keep your pet healthy but really it is a matter of doing small things often: good food, appropriate exercise, using the right flea and worm control at the right times and taking your pet to the vet twice a year for its vaccination and Wellness examinations. Then your veterinary team can advise you on the best path to Wellness based on the unique combination of your pet’s personal factors such as age, breed, and health.

Happily, all this work doesn’t just help your pet: according to *Professor Sam H Ahmedzai of Sheffield University: "A growing body of research evidence as well as practical experience has highlighted the importance of companion animals to our health, general well-being and quality of life. These benefits are appreciated by people of all ages from all walks of life".  These benefits include helping lower blood pressure, getting fitter and improving a child’s immune status. Our Wellness and that of our pets are closely entwined and we can all benefit from making our pets healthier!

*http://pfma.org.uk/overall/human-companion-animal-bond.htm