Preventative Care Tips from VIP Petcare

Here at Healthy Spot, we provide all basic services to keep your pet feeling and looking great. While many of you use our doggie daycare and award-winning grooming salon services, did you know we also offer preventative veterinary care? We’ve partnered with VIP Petcare to provide high quality pet wellness services every weekend.

But what does preventative care really mean? Preventative care consists of a combination of practices you can implement at home and services your veterinarian can provide to help prevent disease and increase the life of your beloved pet. Sounds great, right?

So, what are these preventative practices?

Let’s start with what you can do to prevent disease at home:

• Nutrition/Feeding – Obesity is a major problem in pets and can lead to many disease processes including heart disease, joint disease, etc. Keeping your pet at an appropriate weight is an important step in fostering health and longevity. If you have questions about food options, how much to feed your pet, or if your pet is at a healthy weight don’t hesitate to consult a veterinarian and your local pet food retailer. That’s what we’re here for!
• Dental Care – Dental disease is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in adult pets, and can potentially lead to heart or kidneys problems. But it’s easily preventable! Regular dental cleanings with your veterinarian are important, but your pet should also have their teeth brushed every day. Your local pet store has specially made toothbrushes and specially flavored toothpastes for your pet. Make this a daily routine after you brush your own teeth, and your pet will have better health, better breath, and will likely have a longer life.
• Pay attention to your pet’s behavior – You know your pet better than anyone else. If you see behavior changes that concern you, consult your local veterinarian. While behavior changes are not always a sign of disease, if a disease process is affecting your pet, the earlier we find out, the better.

Let’s talk now about how your veterinarian can help you:

• Annual examination – Every pet should have a yearly physical examination by a veterinarian. Some pets (eg. older pets) should be seen even more frequently. Just like people, pets can have a range of what is ‘normal’ for them. Bringing your pet to a veterinarian at least once a year helps us keep track of any changes in your pet’s individual values, and may help detect some disease processes before they become a problem. Ask your veterinarian how often your pet needs a physical examination.
• Fecal Testing and parasite control – Every pet deserves an annual fecal exam and monthly parasite prevention. A fecal test can be included in all packages at VIP Petcare, and requires only a simple collection of your pet’s feces. With that sample, we test for multiple intestinal parasites that could be affecting your pet’s current or future health.
• Vaccination – Vaccinations are important part of preventing disease in your pet. Vaccine recommendations for your pet are available at vippetcare.com. Your own veterinarian may alter these recommendations based on your pet’s history, current health, and lifestyle.
• Microchipping – Microchipping, available at VIP Petcare clinics, is an important step in keeping your pet safe. Every pet should be microchipped as a form of permanent identification. Even indoor-only pets can sometimes escape. For example, during holidays, many people may come in and out of our houses leaving an open door, and although we don’t like to think about it, natural disasters and fires often displace pets from their loving owners. All shelters and veterinarians can easily scan for a microchip and quickly reunite you with your pet.

Visit our Wellness Clinic page for more information on how we can help keep your pets healthy, happy, and safe!