October is National Pet Wellness Month

The American Veterinary Medical Association has named October as National Pet Wellness Month to educate pet owners about the pet aging process and the health benefits of twice-a-year wellness exams. This national effort by the AVMA has caused much excitement among veterinarians, who know first hand the importance of early disease protection.

“Because pets age faster than people, taking a dog or cat to the veterinarian once a year is the same as a person seeing their doctor or dentist once every seven years,” says Dr. Marty Becker, contributing veterinarian for Good Morning America and spokesman for Pet Wellness Month. “Twice yearly exams help the veterinarian detect, treat, and ideally prevent problems before they become life threatening.”

“We’ve seen an increased percentage of aging cats and dogs in this country, resulting, in large part, from advances in veterinary medicine,” says past AVMA President Dr. Jack O. Walther. “One of the first things pet owners need to know is that cats and dogs age faster than people and, because of that fact alone, significant health changes can occur in as little as three to six months.”

In the last fifty years, the average lifespan of a dog has increased from seven years to twelve years. Most of this increase can be attributed to advances in nutrition and the use of vaccines. As medical knowledge advances, veterinarians recognize wellness exams and screenings as modern ways for us to extend and improve pets’ lives even more.

In human medicine, it is widely accepted that time and money spent on wellness programs drastically reduces the pain and high cost of serious illness. The same is true for our animal patients. Every day I treat dogs and cats suffering with grave conditions. For me, the most heart breaking ones are the pets that I know I could have helped live longer, happier lives if only the problem was addressed earlier. Most pet owners would help veterinarians detect and address problems in the earliest stages if only they knew how. In a 2003 national survey of pet owners, two-thirds say they would bring their pet to the veterinarian twice a year for a wellness examination if they realized it could improve their pet’s quality of life or increase its lifespan.

The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends examinations every six months and regular wellness screenings including blood count, blood chemistry panel, urinalysis, intestinal parasite check and heartworm check. For more information, visit the National Pet Wellness Month web page at NPWM.com. More importantly, schedule a wellness visit with your pet’s veterinarian today.

Through the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association, local veterinarians have also compiled a wellness checklist for pet owners. The recommendations include balanced nutrition, fresh water, and adequate shelter; exercise and grooming; physical examination every 6-12 months; periodic urinalysis and blood tests (complete blood count & chemistry); screening for Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in cats; parasite checks, including fecal examinations one to four times per year; appropriate deworming treatments for puppies and kittens; vaccination program; dental health care; appropriate heartworm test and preventive; appropriate flea and tick control; neutering; and regular monitoring of health problems. The guidelines also mention that senior dogs and cats should receive additional screening tests. They also instruct pet owners to consult their family veterinarian for custom wellness recommendation based on the individual pet’s needs. The complete checklist can be found at vvma.org/wellness.pdf.

As medical knowledge and technology advance, so does the veterinarian’s ability to prevent, detect, and treat illness. Gone are the days when annual vaccines were the extent of preventative care. Owners of dogs and cats who want their pets to live happier, longer lives now have more resources than ever before.

Dr. Watts is a companion animal general practitioner and owner of Clevengers Corner Veterinary Care. He can be reached through ClevengersCorner.com or by calling 428-1000.