Is your inclination to ignore the reminder from your veterinarian that your pet is due for a wellness visit? Wellness visits may seem unnecessary, especially if your pet is young and apparently healthy, but these appointments are a critical part of your four-legged friend’s health care plan. Our Rustebakke Veterinary Service team explains why routine wellness visits are so important.

Routine wellness visits establish a baseline health profile for your pet

You know your pet is a one-of-a-kind, but do you know their diagnostic profile is also unique? Veterinary laboratories provide “normal” ranges for results from tests such as complete blood counts, biochemistry profiles, and urinalysis. However, some pets normally have values slightly above or below these ranges. Yearly testing helps our team establish a baseline for your pet so we know what their “normal” is, which can help us take action if we notice slight changes. For example, if we know your pet’s red blood cell (RBC) number is typically at the high end of normal, we may recommend further diagnostics if the number drops to the low end of normal. The value is still considered normal for most pets, but because we know your pet’s baseline, we will recommend investigating the issue.

Routine wellness visits help detect disease earlier

Pets are masters at hiding illness and pain. They no longer have to worry about predators catching them at a vulnerable moment, but they retain their ancestors’ instincts to hide weakness. This often means they act completely normal when they are sick. Our veterinarians are trained to see subtle changes, and examining your pet and running diagnostic tests during their wellness visit helps us detect conditions early when they are easier to manage and provide a better prognosis for your pet. This is especially true with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The majority of pets affected by CKD don’t show signs until their condition is advanced and approximately two-thirds of their kidney function is compromised. Routine screening helps us detect CKD and other conditions sooner so we can manage them better and improve your pet’s quality of life.

Routine wellness visits protect your pet from preventable diseases

Keeping your pet’s vaccines up to date is important to protect them from preventable diseases. Vaccines are categorized as core and non-core. Core vaccines are recommended for every pet, while non-core vaccines are suggested depending on your pet’s lifestyle and disease risk. Our team considers your pet’s individual circumstances to tailor a vaccination schedule that will provide the best protection for them. 

Routine wellness visits protect your pet from parasites

Parasites are ubiquitous, and they often target pets. Year-round prevention is important to protect your pet from:

  • Fleas — These tiny bloodthirsty parasites can cause allergic dermatitis and anemia and transmit diseases.
  • Ticks — Ticks are found throughout Washington, and certain species can transmit debilitating diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and tick paralysis. 
  • Heartworms — Heartworms can cause significant, potentially deadly damage to your pet’s heart and lungs. Historically, these parasites mostly affected pets in the Southern states, but according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, Washington state has had a 579% increase in heartworm positive pets since 2014. 
  • Intestinal parasites — Intestinal parasites, such as roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, giardia, and coccidia, can leach nutrients from your pet and cause issues such as gastrointestinal upset and anemia.

During your pet’s wellness visit, our team visually looks for fleas and ticks and tests for heartworms and intestinal parasites to ensure your pet is critter free, and we will recommend the best parasite prevention for your four-legged friend.

Don’t ignore your pet’s wellness visit reminder. Contact our Rustebakke Veterinary Service team today to schedule an appointment.