Preventive care is one of the key components of life-long health and wellness, whether in the human medical field or in veterinary medicine. Very few situations in life embody the old adage that “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” as distinctly as health care. Companion animal veterinarians spend a significant portion of their day working with clients to provide direct preventive care as well as enable clients to make good decisions for the longevity and comfort of their companion.
The most commonly known preventive care modality is vaccination against certain viruses and bacteria. Even though we have been vaccinating dogs and cats for distemper and parvoviruses for decades, those viruses are still a risk for even relatively isolated pets and are considered “core” vaccines and recommended for all pets. The rabies virus vaccine falls into the same category with a few specific exceptions. For dogs and cats at higher risk of infectious disease, there are also vaccines against the Leptospira and Bordatella bacteria. For cats with appropriate risk factors, a vaccine for Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is available as well.
One of the most confusing topics can be adequate and appropriate nutrition. With various food manufacturers vying for the public’s attention with clever and effective marketing, it can be frustrating and confusing for the most savvy of pet parents to wade through the information. Misperceptions abound on the internet, through direct marketing on television, and even in some pet stores. Companion animal nutrition is actually a specialty field within veterinary medicine, and nutritionists are often consulted by general practice veterinarians to help sort out the fact from fiction.
Benefits of a balanced and appropriate life-stage diet can have a positive effect on every body system. Proper nutrition can reduce obesity, make arthritis less frequent and severe, reduce the risk of diabetes, and generally make pets more comfortable so they can enjoy life more.
Parasites can be a major problem for our pets, and there are a wide variety of “bugs” pets encounter in their daily life. Fleas are simply a fact of life in the San Francisco area, and we see pets daily that are severely affected with flea allergy. For dogs who are hiking or in areas of heavy brush and vegetation, the presence of ticks can be a problem as well. Not only do these often unseen parasites cause symptoms on the skin, but they can transmit infectious diseases such as Lyme bacteria, white and red blood cell parasites, and intestinal parasites as well. Thankfully we have several extremely effective products available to help control these creeping and crawling invaders.
Heartworm disease can truly be a silent killer. Heartworm is transmitted from one infected animal to another by a mosquito. It has a complex life cycle that is dependent on time and temperature, but the bottom line is that a pet infected with heartworm most often shows no symptoms at all until there are adult worms living in the heart and large blood vessel from the heart to the lungs. At this stage of the disease the treatment is risky to the health of the pet as well as quite expensive. Again, we have multiple effective products available to prevent heartworm infection.
Behavioral concerns are a frequent reason for dogs and cats being seen by veterinarians. Everything from dogs who are “out of control” (as I admit my Labrador used to be!), to problems with inappropriate urination, defecation, chewing, scratching, or biting. Again, preventive care in terms of training and socialization at a young age can help eliminate many of these problems, and in fact old dogs and cats can learn new tricks. Simply because an older pet develops unacceptable behaviors does not mean a veterinarian or trainer cannot be of great assistance. If your pet has a behavior concern, you are not alone, and your veterinarian can help or get you started in the right direction.
Dental health is a major health issue in veterinary medicine. Symptoms of bad breath, discomfort when eating, or stained and broken teeth are only the outward indicators of what could be severe problems. Imagine what would happen to our teeth if we didn’t brush them and rarely or never went to the dentist. As if the bacterial infection of the teeth, gums and jaws weren’t enough to worry about, there is also a risk of bacteria from the dental disease getting into the blood stream and traveling to the internal organs such as liver, kidney, spleen, or heart valves. These problems can lead to life-threatening infections, which can be difficult and costly to control with even the most potent antibiotics.
At every examination your veterinarian will evaluate the visible signs of dental disease in your pet. Keep in mind that what is outwardly visible is not a complete picture. Since our patients can’t sit back in the dental chair with their mouth open, hold still for x-rays, and tolerate a little uncomfortable probing and scaling, general anesthesia with dental x-rays are needed to fully evaluate a pet’s oral health. Many times we find hidden pockets of root infection or even infection and destruction of a portion of the jaw bone.
Finally, don’t forget to consider pet health insurance for your pet. There are several companies available, and the staff at your veterinary hospital can help guide you in understanding the options.
Wishing you and your pet a long and healthy life together.
Dr. Farquhar lives in the North Bay and has been in the Bay Area practicing small animal medicine and surgery since 2009. He’s originally from Montana where he worked with police and search and rescue dogs; that work inspired to go to vet school. He lives with a 7 year-old yellow Labrador named Maggie and a house cat.
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