There is no denying that many pets hate going to the vet. Pet owners often have horror stories about what it takes to even get their pet to the vet’s office, especially cats. This causes some owners to avoid trips to the animal hospital unless their pet is sick or injured. However, wellness exams are a very important part of a pet’s overall health and care. Here are some of the reasons to get wellness care for your pets from Vets Honolulu.
Laboratory testing is one of the most important parts of wellness care. Your Vets Honolulu may ask you to bring a stool sample with you to your pet’s annual check up. This will be checked as part of a early detection test. This test will give the doctor an overall picture of your pet’s health by checking the blood and stool for degenerative changes, possible medical conditions, and help monitor for diseases. A fecal parasite test can also be run to check for roundworms and hookworms that can potentially be passed onto the pet’s family. Although this test is run annually, you should alert your vet if your pet shows signs of worms such as diarrhea or weight loss. A heart worm test will also be run at the annual wellness exam and the Vets Honolulu will likely prescribe a preventative monthly pill for you to give your dog between visits.
Vaccinations are another key aspect of wellness exams for pets. There is a 4-in-1 vaccine for dogs and cats. The vaccine for dogs is called DHPP and protects against distempter, hepatitis, para influenza, and parvovirus. The vaccine for cats is called FVRCPP and protects against feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and feline pneumonitus. All of these conditions can be deadly if not treated. Cats will also receive a vaccine for feline leukemia. The rabies vaccine is required by law in some places, so it is very important to get for your pet and have documented. The bordatella vaccine protects against “kennel cough”, which can be very contagious and cause severe upper respiratory issues.
Your Vets Honolulu may also want you to consider getting your pet micro-chipped at your annual wellness exam if you have not already. This will help keep your pet safe if he is ever lost and it will make it easy for him to be returned to you. The chip will also store your pet’s ownership and vaccination records.
