Written by: Samantha Boswell, Vet Assistant, Exotic Animal Rehabilitator
There is this wonderful myth going around about wellness exams and that pets do not need them; especially cats. When it comes to their pet, people assume they know that they are healthy and doing well and rely on Dr. Google to provide accurate medical care otherwise. Also, with the rise of anti-vaxxers within recent years, more people are choosing to not vaccinate their pets believing their pet's immune system will automatically know what to do. So, in this blog, I am going to break down wellness exams, why they are important, what you should expect, ask about, and get from a wellness exam, and I am going to explain the importance of fixing and vaccinating your pet. These are all things that increase the wellness, quality and longevity of your pet's life and are included within wellness appointments.
What to expect from a wellness exam
When you go to a wellness exam, there are things both you and your vet need to keep in mind to make sure your pet gets the best care. Your vet will ask questions about bathroom routines, training, behaviour, diet, and more. They will also do an extensive check up on your pet checking from nose to tail to make sure that everything is good to go. Once your pet has been found healthy, vaccines should be administered. Your vet should always discuss the vaccines your pet is receiving and what they protect against. If you are unsure of why these diseases need a vaccine to protect your pet, your vet can explain to you what is going on so you have a better understanding.
If your vet suspects that something is wrong with your pet, they will most likely push for bloodwork and possibly a fecal or urine test, or even diagnostics to see what is going on. Your pet can not tell us what hurts or what feels wonky, however bloodwork and other tests are a great insight to your pet. Even if your pet is deemed healthy, your vet may want to do bloodwork. This is always a good idea at your annual wellness exam because it will monitor the small changes that are happening inside your pet and can react before they become a problem. Healthy bloodwork sets a baseline for your pet and allows your vet to know what is normal and what is not for your pets bloodwork. Just like humans, every pet is slightly different; even within the "normal" scale.
Your vet may also talk to you about things like grooming, dental maintenance, nail trimming, and other things that are required to keep your pet happy and healthy. You would be surprised what is involved in the steps to getting your pet accustomed to a groomer and the grooming process. You would also be surprised to know that there is a proper procedure on getting your pets used to brushing their teeth and doing it in a way that does not harm your bond. You are also able to have discussion with your vet on how to improve your bond, their obedience, or find local resources in your area that are certified and trustworthy. Your vet is such a valuable resource as a pet owner, and more people need to take advantage of their vets and their wellness exams.
In regards to what you can ask your vet, well, anything related to your pet! Your vet is your pet specialist. Veterinarians spend the same amount of time in medical school as a general practitioner doctor, however they specialize in animals instead of humans.
Here are my reasons why wellness exams are not a scam
The first reason why you should bring your adult pet to the vet annually and your senior/geriatric pet biannually, is because first and foremost your vet is an invaluable source of information. As your pet ages and goes through different stages, things like nutrition, energy, development, and other basic needs will change. Your pet can also develop seasonal or food allergies and because they tend to be stoic, you may not notice until it is difficult to rectify. Your vet will notice these changes and be able to guide you and your pet through these changes effectively and in a timely manner. A good quality vet will also continue doing research and educating themselves to keeping up to date with the most recent advances in vet med. This will also help you change things in your routines and care to better the quality and longevity of your pet's life. We don't want your pet to just live their longest life, we want them to live the best quality of life as well.
Secondly, taking your pet to your vet on a regular basis will allow you to monitor things such as slow weight loss overtime, subtle changes in mobility, the beginnings of obesity, overgrooming in areas you may not check (sanitary areas, paws, armpits, etc.), and much more. These changes may seem small and irrelevant to you as the owner, however to your vet they could mean many things. If your cat is unintentionally and slowly losing weight over the past two visits, it could be early signs of Chronic Kidney Disease or Hyperthyroidism. If your pet is overgrooming on their paws, armpits and genitals, it could be an early sign of a food allergy. If you pet begins to gain weight, they can help you correct that to reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, spinal injury and many more illnesses. These are things your vet will notice as they do not see your pet daily AND will have records of their previous visits including weight, body condition score (BCS), muscle condition score (MSC) and more. They will also notice the early stages of dental diseases such as gingivitis, tooth decay, etc. Most animals will not show signs of dental diseases until teeth break or gums bleed excessively. Then it becomes an even pricier problem to fix. Noticing ANY of these illnesses before your pet actively shows signs will help keep them living longer, better, and you can potentially get them into remission if caught early on. Not only that, catching illnesses and diseases before your pet shows signs will cost you a lot less than catching them afterwards.
Thirdly, and most importantly, your vet can talk to you about the importance of vaccines, microchipping and fixing your pet. Getting your pet properly vaccinated and maintaining those vaccines are vital to your pets health. For rabies, not only is it mandatory by law in Ontario to have your pet vaccinated against it, it also takes away a lot of the panic when your pet interacts with a racoon, skunk, or any other urban wildlife. The only accurate way to test for rabies is to have the suspected animal euthanized and test the brain and with urban wildlife, it will be hard to confirm rabies in the animal. The only way that you can properly react to an unvaccinated animal being bitten or interacting with an unknown animal is to vaccinated and wait to see if any symptoms occur between 14 and 60 days of the date of the bite/interaction. It will be a stressful time for you and your pet will pick up on this and be stressed as well. So if you are unable to provide any other vaccines for your pet, please do the rabies. It will save your pet's life. Your vet will also go over species specific vaccines for your pet, what they are, why they are important, and their cost. They should also go over any necessary boosters for any new vaccines your pet may receive.
Fixing your pet is also important. Not only to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STI's, but to also prevent diseases and cancers. Each dog breed will have a different time, talk to your vet when the time is right to get your pet fixed. Cats should always be done around 6 months. It is easier to spay females before they begin heat and easier to prevent spraying in males. As we know, and I am sure you have heard, fixing your pet will reduce aggression. There is a good reason for that too. When you leave your pet intact and do not breed them, they will typically develop aggression or be less obedient. This is because the hormones that the reproductive organs produce are continuously being produced and not used. How would you feel having hormones being produced regularly and not being able to have sex in any form to release those hormones? Pretty wound up I would think. Well, that is how your pet will feel; especially if it is breeding season. With female animals, not spaying them also increases their chances of developing deadly infectious disorders such as pyometra. This is another expensive surgery your pet will need to undergo in order to survive. Also the chances of developing cancer for both males and females are increased when they are left intact. There are many more reasons to fix your animal, and your vet can talk to you about them at your next wellness visit!
Conclusion
My goal for this article is to inform owners of the importance of wellness exams and the importance of your vet. Your veterinarian is a great resource and worth your time and money. Pets now a days are more than just workers around the home/farm, they are our family. We really need to start considering what is best long term for our furry family members because not only will they appreciate it, your wallet will too!
Resources
Experience as a vet assistant
Wildlife X Team:
https://www.wildlifexteam.com/about/blog/what-to-do-if-your-pet-fights-a-raccoon.html
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