The Importance of Pet Wellness Exams

The American Veterinary Medical Association encourages pet parents to bring their animals in for regular wellness exams. This collection of evaluations can help you extend or save your pet’s life. Understanding the importance of pet wellness exams can motivate you to stay on top of your pet’s health. Here are the details.

They Protect Your Pet from Pain

Pets may not show you their pain immediately, and that is why you need pet wellness exams. Your vet has the training to detect signs of specific health issues and test for them.

Studies show that 80% of dogs over eight years old develop arthritis, and at least 40% of cats develop the same condition. In especially long-lived cats, this rises to over 90%.

Joint pain principally inhibits mobility, causing your pet to have a difficult time moving on different surfaces. Even resting can be challenging with arthritis. Your vet will manipulate your pet’s joints, examine their gait, and check their limbs. X-rays may be necessary to confirm arthritis.

Many pets develop dental diseases before they reach three years old, which can cause terrible pain. It may also lead to swollen gums and loose teeth. In some cases, dental disease may even cause jaw fractures. Your vet can perform a professional dental cleaning if your pet has dental disease.

They Can Protect Your Pet from Disease

Early disease detection can make a specific condition easier to treat. Regular wellness exams can help catch these ailments right away. A complete physical exam with lab tests can help diagnose any health problem. Here are the three most common pet ailments that a wellness exam can detect:

• Diabetes can be a significant health problem if not controlled right away. A blood chemistry profile can check your pet’s blood sugar levels. The presence of ketones or glucose in your pet’s urine can signal the onset of diabetes.

• Heart disease may also occur in pets. A wellness exam can detect if something is wrong with your pet’s heart. X-rays, an ultrasound, and an electrocardiogram can also evaluate your pet’s heart.

• Kidney disease may develop in older pets. They may not have symptoms until there is significant damage to their kidneys. A complete urinalysis can also detect if anything is wrong.

They Can Protect Your Pet’s Eyesight

Vision is important for your pet to move around and see any approaching danger. Aging can lead to specific eye problems in pets. Without treatment, these can result in blindness. Here are some ocular abnormalities that a regular wellness exam can detect:

• Glaucoma results from an increase in intraocular pressure or IOP. This can be severely painful for your pet. Your vet can measure your pet’s IOP during a wellness exam to see if there are signs indicating the onset of glaucoma.

• Cataracts develop with aging as well. This condition is the clouding of natural lenses. Even a small cataract needs regular veterinary checks to protect your pet’s vision.

Bringing your pet in for wellness checks can help sustain their quality of life into their senior years. At Sugar Land Veterinary Clinic, we always work with pet parents to give their fur kids the right kind of care. Feel free to visit our clinic in Sugar Land, Texas, for an in-person consultation. You can also reach us at info@sugarland.vet if you want to schedule an appointment or ask questions about our pet wellness exam packages.