Importance of a Regular Vet Check-up

Dogs and cats are great at putting up a brave face and hiding their pain, suffering, or disease. This means by the time you notice something is not right, they are in a lot of pain and are unable to hide it.

A veterinarian is trained to detect any subtle clues that may be indicative of a problem, disease, pain, or illness. Regular check-ups allow your veterinarian to detect small signs such as changes in breathing patterns, heart rate, eyes, and minor, random swellings. These signs may indicate anything from digestive issues or kidney related issues or even cancer

• Eye examination – This can help reveal glaucoma, high blood pressure, fungal infections, and overall nervous system health. Eye disease or infections abound among small-faced breeds like pugs, bulldogs, etc. 
• Ear examination – This can help catch certain types of infections. Ear infections are quite common in cats and dogs. Dogs routinely display yeast or certain kinds of bacterial infections while cats often suffer from mites. If untreated these can lead to painful, inflamed, and thickened ears.
• Skin examination – Dry and itchy skin or hair loss indicates various health issues like mange, allergies or endocrinal issues, or even poor nutritional levels. 
• Neck inspection – This can help rule out problems like cancer by checking for swelling in the lymph nodes. 
• Abdomen inspection – The vet can look for swelling in various organs.
• Muscle, joint, and bone examination – Gait changes, muscle loss, or limping can often be remedied. Nearly all older pets suffer from osteoarthritis. 

Early detection through various tests can help identify and check emerging issues before they become big. Blood and urine tests can help in the screening of diabetes, hyperthyroidism, anemia, etc. Not only this, but it saves a lot of money, long-term medical costs, and suffering that your pet would have had to go through.

Regular vet visits help your pet live a long, happy, and healthy life. Older pets benefit from routine screening for common breed-specific diseases similarly as humans undergo investigations based on heredity or genetic diseases. 

Early detection of certain illnesses and their treatment extends your pet's life and gives the both of you many more years of togetherness and happiness. So, schedule a wellness visit with your vet at regular intervals to ensure that your buddy is in the best of health always.