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There are many opportunities for us to make investments in our pet’s healthcare. Periodic investments pay big dividends by increasing the quality of our pet’s life and by extending their life expectancy. If they live longer, happier lives then we ultimately benefit. It is well established that people with pets receive an enrichment that contributes to our emotional and physical well being.
Spaying and neutering are important preventive health procedures. Although they are major surgeries, dogs recover quickly. Spaying a female dog, before they go into heat, reduces the risk of breast cancer to nearly zero. Spaying also eliminates the risk of uterine infections, an acute, potentially fatal disease. Unwanted pregnancies are also avoided. Neutering a male dog significantly reduces the risk of prostate disease, perianal tumors, perineal hernias, and testicular tumors. Neutered dogs are much more likely to stay at home, out of the path of area traffic. Spaying and neutering your pet is an investment in their good health. The discomfort is very short term but the benefits last a life time.
Regular dental cleanings are as important for your pet as they are for you. Unchecked dental disease leads to increased wear and tear on critical internal organs including the kidneys, heart, and liver, shortening their lives. We encourage you to begin routine home dental care at the earliest possible age. Begin by gently wiping a few teeth at a time using a soft cloth wrapped over your index finger. Gradually expand to the full mouth as their tolerance allows. Moving up to a toothbrush increases the effectiveness of the routine but does require an extra measure of tolerance by the dog. Antiseptic Gels and Enzyme Tooth Pastes can be applied to the cloth or brush to increase the benefit. Enzyme Chew Treats are another excellent dental tool that both cats and dogs love. We highly recommend the Hills Tartar Control Diet for Dogs (T/D). It is a fully balanced, high quality maintenance diet that has been clinically proven to reduce tartar and gingivitis. Most dogs love this food. It is most effective when fed as the sole diet but it can be mixed with another food if you prefer.
Increasing age is associated with increased health risks. We can compensate for this increased risk in a number of ways. We want to schedule Physical Examinations twice a year for pets over seven years of age. This allows us to discover tumors 6 months earlier, to detect heart murmurs, glaucoma, and high blood pressure 6 months earlier. Remember, dogs age so much more quickly then we do – examinations every 6 months for them is like examinations every 3 to 4 years for us. We also begin routine blood testing for dogs over 7. Thyroid Disease, Diabetes, and Kidney Disease are a few of the diseases that frequently occur at this age. The bad news is that these diseases do not, initially, have obvious outward signs. The good news is that there are many treatment options to manage these disorders and that screening tests can identify the disease in its earliest stages, while it is more easily, and less expensively, managed.
Advances in the profession now allow for the successful management of so many more diseases, but more sophisticated care can generate higher expenses. We have strongly encouraged pet health insurance for years. Setting aside a small amount per month to fund insurance coverage can make the difference in whether or not it is possible to support a needed treatment for your little loved one. The conflict between what we need to do to treat a disorder and what the owner can afford to do is often the greatest frustration faced by a veterinarian in practice today. Don’t let this heart wrenching decision come between you and your pet. An insurance brochure is included in this book.
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