The importance of health checks
As we all know, a year in your pet’s life is a lot more than a year to them. One human year to a cat is 5 years, and to a dog it’s more like 7 years. So that 10 year old Burmese cat is actually 50, and that 9 year old Labrador is actually 63!
For this reason we need to check them regularly to make sure everything is in working order, and to detect problems as early as possible. If the vet sees them at least once a year, that is still only equivalent to a doctor (and dentist) giving you a check-up once every 5-7 years.
What do we do at the health check?
Most of you should receive a questionnaire from us when it is time to go to the vet. This should jog your memory about your pet’s eating, drinking, behaviour etc
When you come in for the check we will go over this form, concentrating on potential problem areas. We will also make sure everything is ok with the worm, flea and tick control, and go over the vaccination schedule.
We will then do a comprehensive health check, going over such things as:
Eyes – checking for such things as cataracts, which may be amenable to surgery, and the earlier the better if we are going to have a chance to save vision. Cataracts may also indicate internal disease.
Ears – many dogs (and cats) have chronic ear conditions, and the earlier these are picked up, the better the end result. Some ears left unchecked and untreated may require radical surgery to manage.
Teeth – many dogs and cats have plaque, gingivitis and even periodontal disease, in which the teeth fallout. Red gums (gingivitis) are painful, and plaque build-up means lots of bacteria. The earlier we can check the teeth, the earlier we can discuss ways of keeping the teeth healthy, or advise an timely scale and polish, before extractions are necessary.
Skin – we check the skin for signs of fleas, allergies, lumps or infections. We will discuss flea control, allergy control, or any suitable shampoos or nutritional requirements. Sometimes skin problems such as alopecia (hair loss) may indicate more serious internal disease. Some skin lumps, if removed early, may result in a complete cure.
Lymph Nodes – these ‘glands’ are located all over the body, localised enlargement may mean a local infection, or generalised enlargement may even indicate neoplasia (cancer).
Heart and Lungs – we will listen to your pet’s chest and look for abnormal lung or heart sounds. Abnormal lung sounds may mean bronchitis, asthma or even fluid in the chest. Abnormal heart sounds (murmurs) may indicate a problem with the heart valve, and if this is diagnosed and treatment begun early, before your pet starts coughing, your pet should live a longer, more comfortable life.
Joints – we will feel you pets joints, especially the hips and back, as these are common problem areas. If there is any pain or abnormal movement, x-rays or even surgery may be required.
Abdomen – we will thoroughly palpate your pet’s abdomen feeling for any organ enlargement, or even any masses. These may then need blood tests, x-rays, ultrasounds, or even surgery to diagnose and treat.
Older dogs and cats may need such things as blood and urine tests to monitor such things as kidney, liver or, thyroid function. They may need x-rays to check for DJD (degenerative joint disease, arthritis), or need their blood pressure measured (hypertension is particularly common in old cats).
So please get your best friend checked regularly, it may just save their life.