Why Your Pet Needs Regular Checkups with a Vet

It’s generally recommended that you have a checkup with your family doctor at least once a year. Most people understand that this is important to ensure their overall health and to detect any potential health issues while they’re in their earlier stages. But many don’t seem to believe their furry family members need the same kind of regular care. If you’re only taking your pet to a veterinary care clinic in Katy, TX, when they’re sick or injured, your pet isn’t getting the regular care they need. Keep reading to learn why regular checkups with your vet are so important.

Checking for Parasites

Pets can get parasites quite easily when exposed to other animals. The trouble is that many pet owners won’t recognize that their pet has an intestinal parasite until the illness has progressed or even led to more serious health issues. Regular checkups are the best way to check for parasites and catch them early on before they severely impact your pet’s health. And, when caught early, treating intestinal parasites is generally quick, easy, and inexpensive.

Preventing Serious Illness

Just as your regular checkups are designed to prevent and detect illness and disease, the same is true of your pet’s checkups. Animals are incredibly skilled at hiding signs of illness; this is an evolutionary habit that protected their ancestors from being targeted by predators and rivals. But for pet owners, it means that it can be very difficult to see the signs of a sick animal.

When your pet goes in for a regular checkup, the veterinarian can perform a simple screening to check for signs of illness and disease. Catching this in the early stages can help prevent it from becoming much more serious by getting earlier treatment. This can save your pet a lot of pain and suffering in the long run.

Caring for Older Pets

As animals age, they require more regular care to keep an eye out for potential illnesses that frequently trouble older animals. Even issues that can’t be cured, such as arthritis, can be given treatment to help your pet live a happier, fuller, more pain-free life. But you can’t provide them that relief without detecting the problem first.

Staying Up on Vaccinations

Many animal vaccines only need to be given once to protect your pet throughout their life. Others, however, need to be given regularly to continue protecting your pet. By having regular visits, you can rest assured that your pet is being protected from a wide range of diseases thanks to their regular vaccinations.

Maintaining Dental Health

Your pet’s teeth are an essential part of their health, but most pet owners don’t give them much attention. In truth, most animals’ teeth don’t require too much human intervention to stay healthy; however, some animals are more prone to developing plaque than others, so they need a little extra help. A vet will inspect your pet’s teeth during their visit to make sure they’re healthy. They may also recommend that you brush your pet’s teeth regularly, or suggest a professional cleaning at their clinic to remove plaque buildup.

Answering Questions

Is your pet limping due to overexertion or arthritis? Is that lump on your aging cat’s shoulder a cyst or cancer? Is it normal for your dog to eat grass all the time? There are many questions that pet owners might have that are best answered by a vet, and regular checkups give you the opportunity to ask these questions and have any issues addressed.

If you’re looking for an affordable veterinary clinic in Katy, TX, call Katy Veterinary Clinic to schedule your appointment today!