New Year’s Resolutions for You and Your Pet!

With the onset of the New Year, it is a time to both reflect on the past and consider the future. It is the time of year when we all think about things we could do to make this year better than the last. These are usually in the form of New Year’s Resolutions. While considering your own aspirations, it is important to also consider your pet and ways that 2012 might be even healthier and happier than 2011. Here are some common issues for which your pet may need a resolution:

1.       Excess Weight – Just like people, lots of pets are overweight. Excess weight can pose a threat to the health of your pet. In some cases, the weight could be associated with other conditions such as hypothyroidism and diabetes. It can also exacerbate other health conditions like arthritis. If you think that your pet might be overweight, ask your veterinarian if they agree and get started on a healthy weight loss plan.

2.       Dental Disease – As pets get older, their teeth undergo more and more wear and tear. They develop tartar and gingivitis just like humans. Dental disease can lead to heart and kidney disease if it becomes severe. In general, pets should have their teeth cleaned annually in order to avoid this condition. February is National Pet Dental Month and the perfect time to have your pet’s teeth cleaned for the year!

3.       Fleas and Ticks – Last year there was a horrible problem with flea and tick infestations. In order to avoid such infestations this year, we encourage using products like Frontline or Revolution diligently every month. This will prevent infestations in your home and your pet’s bedding.

4.       Physical Exam and Blood Parasite Screens – In order to assure that your pet continues to be healthy and happy it is important to have a yearly physical exam by your veterinarian. This will help to prevent health problems that might be developing from becoming major issues. In most cases, early detection is the key to successful treatment. At your pet’s yearly exam, a blood parasite screen will also be performed to assure that your pet hasn’t contracted any blood parasites like Heartworms, Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, or Ehrlichia.

5.       Senior Pet Blood Profiles – As pets age, they become more and more likely to develop diseases like diabetes, hyper/hypothyroidism, or kidney disease. It’s important to routinely perform bloodwork on older pets to catch these diseases before they become severe. It also gives us a baseline of values that are very helpful in the future when problems develop. Again, early detection is often the key to successful treatment!

With this in mind, we hope that you and your pet have a healthy and happy new year!!