It is recommended that as humans we have annual checkups with our Doctors & some people have to if they have prescriptions they need to have refilled. Some go because their spouses or a family member “makes” them go. These exams allow Doctors to see how our overall health is & to answer any questions or concerns we may have. If you think about it that is what your Veterinarian is doing for your pet, if they see them annually then they will be aware of any health changes that may need to be addressed.
Whether your pet is dog, cat, bird, guinea pig, rabbit, ferret or a reptile it is smart to take your pet in for an annual exam & establish a relationship with a Veterinarian. Having an established relationship could make the difference of you getting your pet in sooner if your pet gets sick or injured. Having a Veterinarian that knows your pet can also help you & your pet to feel more comfortable which can help that whole situation to go better.
At an annual exam your pet will be weighed, their heart & lungs will be listened to. My Vet checks my pets eyes, mouth, feet, reflexes, pulse, anal glands on my dogs & preen gland on my birds. If she sees anything that concerns her we talk & see what should be done. Sometimes she recommends certain blood tests or changing something in their care. She has a record of their past visits & they always ask if any changes or concerns I may be having or noticed about my pets. We talk about what they are eating, & my Vet is Integrative so she practices holistic medicine as well. She knows a lot about proper nutrition & she can muscle test any food or supplement to see if it is good for my pet. She has educated me on ingredients in many manufactured foods that many Vets don’t know. She recommends products to me, but never pushes me to buy products she may sell. Please know I have asked many Vets over the years & most have told me in Veterinary College they are only taught one 8 hour class on nutrition & it is taught by manufactures of pet foods many Vets sell. I, nor my Vet would ever recommend any of these foods be fed to a pet (if you have doubts about this, just research the ingredients in the food, so many chemicals. Many are dangerous & illegal to be added to human food).
There are low cost clinics out there that do lower cost vaccines, heart-worm tests, some do a variety of other services. I use one for my dogs annual heart-worm tests because it is fraction of what my Vet charges & I need to watch my expenses. These Vets do a quick exam, but please do not call this your pets annual exam. They do a quick assessment that probably takes all but 1 min. If money is a huge issue, maybe going to a low cost clinic for vaccines, tests, or other services is smart, but also establish your pets at a Veterinary Clinic you trust for at least a thorough annual exam.
If you have an exotic pet it is smart to have a Veterinarian that specializes in exotic pets. My Vet sees my birds for annual exams, but if my birds are sick I go to a Exotic pet Vet clinic that stocks medicines in doses for birds. I had ferrets as pets for years & they saw a Vet who was an exotic pet specialist.
Animals tend to hide illnesses & even injuries if they can, because in the animal kingdom the weak or injured are at risk of being killed by other animals. Having a Veterinarian that you know & trust can make a big difference in the quality & quantity for your beloved pet.
If you don’t currently have a Veterinarian that you trust to care for your pets, ask people you know that have pets that look healthy & you know they are well cared for. Neighbors, co-workers. ECT…that are pet lovers, most will love to share information about the Vets we like. Once you have a few names look them up online & read the reviews, check out a virtual tour of the clinic, read about the Vets there & choose one you think would be good for your pets needs. Example: My dog Echo is not a fan of men so my Vet needs to be female & her tech also needs to be female. My Vet is a “fear Free” Vet which is some thing they get certified in where I am from. She doesn’t force my pets, she is gentle & patient if my pet is not comfortable.
I hope this information has been helpful to you & you’re enjoying my blog. This is my 93 published post in the last 11 months I have been writing this blog. On my home page you can find a list of all my published posts under the 3 lines that are in the upper left corner. My goal is to reach as many pet caregivers & help them to help their pets anyway I can. I have been an animal lover my whole life & fostered pets for 20+ years & want to share that knowledge & help pets to thrive & not just survive. You can help me to get the word out there a few ways: Subscribe to my blog, click the ‘like’ button at the bottom of the post, comment on what you learned or liked, share my blog on your social media sites or email family & friends the link. Also please visit often & check out my other posts . If you have an idea for a post topic you can email me directly at echoinggreatpetcare@gmail.com Thanks, Debbie
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