Regular exams are very important in maintaining your pet’s health. During your wellness exam at SVH, our vets will evaluate and examine your pet from head to tail. Just like you, we want your pet to live the longest, healthiest life possible. That starts with the basics: quality food, enough exercise, and regular check-ups. Yes, love is one of those basics, too—but we figure you’ve got that covered!
Wellness Exams
We recommend that healthy adult pets visit the vet once a year. Puppies and kittens will initially need to come more often to ensure they get the necessary vaccinations, and seniors (pets over about seven) should see us twice per year. Since animals age much faster than we do, disease and illness progress faster as well—and we want to catch problems early while they’re more treatable.
Our nose-to-tail wellness exams for dogs and cats are comprehensive.
At an exam, our vets will:
- Assess your pet’s physical and dental health
- Perform blood, fecal, and urine screenings
- Advise parasite prevention
- Assess nutritional needs
- Ask about behavioral changes
- Develop custom vaccination and/or health plan for your pet
Preventative Measures
A key component of preventative care is keeping your pet parasite-free. Since Vermont is a high-risk area for insect-borne diseases, a yearly test SNAP test is strongly recommended for your dog or cat.
Fleas and Ticks
Contrary to popular opinion, fleas and ticks aren’t just annoying. Fleas can transmit tapeworms and cause anemia. And ticks while ticks are well-known carriers of many harmful conditions, including Lyme disease, which is quite prevalent in our neck of the woods.
Heartworm
Heartworm is another – and even graver – threat. Mosquitos can transmit the deadly worms to pets through just one bite. Vermont in the spring and summer is a breeding ground for mosquitos, which can transmit the deadly worms to pets through just one bite. Sadly, many animals don’t show symptoms until the disease is advanced, if at all. While there is treatment for canines, it is expensive and can be very hard on your pet. (There is no heartworm treatment for cats.)
At Shelburne Veterinary Hospital, we understand that year-round prevention is the only guarantee your pet won’t suffer an uncomfortable – or even life-threatening – infestation. That’s why we carry many different types of flea, tick, and heartworm preventives in our clinic and through our online pharmacy.
Preventative and wellness care is exactly what it sounds like – preventing problems before they start to ensure that your pet is happy, healthy, and comfortable. If it’s been a while since your pet had a routine exam or if you need to schedule a heartworm test or stock up on flea and tick preventative, give us a call at 802-985-2525 today!