Preventing disease is much easier and cost-effective than treating disease. Preventive care focuses on protecting the pet against the diseases he is most likely to acquire. At Hillsdale Veterinary Hospital, preventive care is based on the latest research, and is customized to a pet’s age, condition, breed, risk, and lifestyle. The Preventive Care visit consists of a nutrition assessment, immunizations, worming, and a dental exam.
Good
nutrition is essential to good health; without it, your pet is more
likely to develop disease or a serious illness. During the preventive
care visit, Dr. Baker reviews your pet’s feeding regimen to ensure her
diet is providing adequate nutrients to support the immune and hormonal
systems, organ functions, and the structures of her body. If your pet’s
diet does not satisfy his nutrient requirements, Dr. Baker will explain
what dietary changes are needed, and may prescribe a nutrition
supplement or a specially-formulated diet to correct the shortage.
But even when the best diet is provided, a pet may not eat all he
should due to mouth pain from broken or infected teeth. The Preventive
Care visit includes a dental examination to look for these types of
problems, and to determine if a dental cleaning is needed. Removing
built-up tartar from your pet’s teeth helps prevent gum disease and
tooth infections. Often unnoticed by pet owners, these conditions make
it easy for germs to move from your pet's mouth into his bloodstream,
where they can cause serious--often life-threatening--damage to his
organs and tissues. For this reason, dental cleaning is a
vital
part of preventive care for your pet! [General anesthesia is required
to perform the dental cleaning, and so is a separate, scheduled
procedure.] Learn more about the importance of dental cleaning in Dental Care.
Immunizations build immunity against infectious diseases that can quickly lead to serious complications and death. As part of your pet’s preventive care, Dr. Baker administers the immunizations that will bolster your pet’s immunity, as well as medications to kill any harmful parasites living in or on your pet’s body.
As you can see, preventive care—dental examination, immunization, worming, and nutritional assessment—is the foundation of your pet's continued good health, and a signal of responsible pet ownership. As one of the best investments you can make in your pet, the Preventive Care visit is also the perfect time to have Dr. Baker perform a Wellness Exam or implant a microchip.