Why Does My Pet need Preventive Health Care?

The Veterinarian and staff at Cornerstone Animal Hospital place a lot of emphasis on preventive care. As the idiom says “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” preventing disease or catching it in its early stages is far better than treating it once it is worse.

Preventive health care on a regular basis from your North Richland Hills Veterinarian will help you do just that, and save you and your pet from needless suffering and a larger financial burden. Annual physical examination is recommended for humans, so similarly, physical examinations are highly recommended for our pets as well.

Why Does My Pet need a Physical Examination?

1. Our pets can’t speak, they cannot tell us if they feel unwell or have any other indicators of internal illness. We need to examine them every 6 months as well as run some routine screening tests to detect underlying disease before they are clinically apparent.

2. Pet, especially cats, will often actively mask signs of illness until later in the course of disease. This stems from survival instincts in a pack or colony situation.

3. Many of the subtle signs of illness such as: loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weight gain/loss, etc., might be missed by a pet parent and could be considered as minor behavior change, but they may be the signs of more serious underlying illness. If your pet is older or has medical problems, he/she may need even more frequent examinations. At Cornerstone Animal Hospital, we aim to help your pet live the healthiest life possible. With annual and semi-annual pet examinations, many health problems can be identified, treated and even prevented.

4. This is also a time for veterinarian and staff at Cornerstone Animal Hospital to discuss your pet’s lifestyle and determine what we can do to keep him/her healthy. Pet vaccination requirements and options will be discussed so you and your veterinarian at Cornerstone Animal Hospital can determine what is best for your pet. The Pet care team at this Animal clinic outline a health plan that includes diet, dental care, exercise, diagnostics and vaccinations and we can guide you every step of the way as needs change. The following chart gives an approximate pet age in relation to human age. These are approximations and may vary by gender, species and breed.

For more information on preventive care, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (817) 514-8387.