Do you know that October is pet wellness month? Well, now you know. And in recent years pet wellness has become a BIG DEAL among pet owners.
But, why so?
Sensibly huge credit goes to the pandemic. Because of the pandemic, people were spending more time at home than they might have spent in the office or anywhere else but home. So, they have more time to get along with their family and pets. Not only that, post-pandemic people have an awakening about health.
Pre-Covid everyone used to spend less time at home and so they were somewhat distant from their pets. They’d work all day, and when they do come home they’ll be very tired. So, they’ll share a little time with their dogs or cats playing, and go to bed, then comes another day but the same routine. But, as covid struck, we were all stuck inside home. This got us closer to ourselves, our family, and our pets. Everyone realizes that their health is as important as their work, and so is their pet’s health.
Now, pet owners are paying attention to their pet’s health like never before. This has caused the rise of pet wellness exams.
What is a pet wellness exam? You may ask.
Pet Wellness Exam
A pet wellness exam is a routine medical check-up for your pet even if they look or seem healthy. Sometimes your pet looks healthy or they don’t have any health issues, but there might be some underlying problem that we miss out on. They might have some digestive problems, weak joints, and bones, etc. These issues can also depend on the age and breed of your pet.
We all know prevention is better than cure. Similarly, some health issues of your pet might go unnoticed because they are not severe, but later these can cause other diseases that will be hard and costly to cure. So, a pet wellness exam can help you with the prevention and diagnosis of any medical condition.
Why should I get my pet a wellness exam if my pet looks fine?
The Pet wellness industry is booming and there are many reasons for that. Simply put, now pet owners are more aware of their pet’s behavior. That’s why veterinary clinics have been very busy for the last two years.
Maybe your dog looks healthy, he eats well. But, he is having a hard time climbing and running because of his low joints and bone health. Or your cat might have a problem digesting food properly.
Now that you are stuck inside the home, you noticed that your dog has anxiety issues, he is becoming aggressive for some reason. Things that you might not have paid attention to when you were busy working. But, now work from home has opened your eyes to your pet’s well-being.
Which is a good thing, and you shouldn’t overlook these signs. They might be simple problems or early symptoms of a disease. So, to prevent that you should get your pet a pet wellness exam as soon as you observe something odd, to make sure that they just don’t look healthy but are healthy.
We also know that pandemic has been financially challenging for a lot of people. And the veterinarian fee on top of your expenses can add to the load. Especially, if your pet has severe health conditions it can be expensive. But, a wellness exam is cheaper than curing a disease.
Is a pet wellness exam actually helping?
Yes! It is very effective. As humans, if we keep a regular medical check-up, this helps us maintain our overall health to fight life-threatening diseases, this goes the same for animals as well.
If your pet is healthy and active, it will be more likely to prevent any infection, or disease in the early stage.
And how to keep a track of your pet’s health?
You already know the answer.
Yes! a pet wellness exam.
This is the reason veterinary clinics are packed for routine medical check-ups more than ever.
One of the reasons might be the rise of pet adoption post-covid all around the world. This has been named a “pandemic pet”. The cause is simply that during a pandemic we find ourselves alone, so the company of a lovely friend like a dog or a cat is the best thing we could ask for during a lockdown. However, as more people adopted pets without prior experience they faced a lot of challenges. This has boosted the pet wellness industry.
Another reason, that we have already discussed, is the rise of awareness among pet owners about their pet’s health.
Where should my pet get a wellness exam?
Any veterinary doctor is capable of doing a pet wellness exam. You can bring your pet to your vet or any other local vet.
How often do you do a pet wellness exam?
We will say, it’s best to do a routine check-up every three months. But, if you can’t do it every three months, a six months cycle is standard for a pet wellness exam.
This is because animals age faster than human beings. For example, your dog will age almost 15 years in the first year of his birth. So, by the time they are “one year” of age they are a teen. After the first year aging slows a bit but is still faster than a human. So, with faster aging comes health issues that we overlook because of the dilemma that they are young and so.
A veterinarian would also recommend the frequency for a pet wellness exam according to their age, breed, and health.
What do they examine in a pet wellness exam?
A wellness exam goes like this:
- Your vet will ask you questions about your pet’s diet, exercise or activity, breed, age, behavior, etc.
- Then there will be some physical examinations.
- The vet will measure their heartbeat, palpation, examine their hair, skin, eyesight check-up, ears, nose, face, paws, mouth, and teeth, etc.
- If they suspect anything they’ll recommend further diagnosis via test or other examination to find the cause of any inspection or so.
As a result of a pet wellness exam, you’ll find that your dog or cat is perfectly fine, and just have some digestive issues, or they are in the early stage of developing a condition. Either way, it is beneficial, because if you diagnose something at an early stage it is easily preventable and the treatment will be easy for your pet as well as it will be affordable.
Conclusion
So, If you haven’t got your pet a pet wellness exam, prepare for one ASAP. Do thorough research about it and talk to your vet. This will help in increasing the longevity of your pet’s healthy and happy life.
Related Reading: