Preventive Tips: Vet Care for Cats and Dogs in Dartmouth, MA
One of the best ways to keep your pets healthy is to provide them with preventive healthcare. Work with your local veterinary clinic to determine a schedule for physical examinations, vaccinations, tests and treatments depending on your pet’s unique needs and situation. Some programs are what they call “species specific,” which is important if you have an exotic pet or something other than the typical cat or dog. Other programs are more general, yet include individual preventive measures based on the age, health status and lifestyle of the pet, such as a senior indoor-only cat or a puppy that is frequently boarded and visits local dog parks.
Quality vet care for cats and dogs can be obtained at your local veterinary clinic in Dartmouth. Make sure to ask about specific concerns, such as heartworm treatment for dogs or urgent care services on nights and weekends. It helps to have a local Dartmouth emergency vet that you can count on when you have concerns about your pet. Anchor Animal Hospital provides a wide variety of services for cats and dogs, pocket pets like hamsters and gerbils, as well as exotic pets like chinchillas, birds and ferrets. Give us a call at 508-996-3731 to find out more about our services or to schedule an appointment for your favorite pet.
What to Expect from Preventive Care
When you sign your pet up for a preventive healthcare service at your local veterinary clinic in Dartmouth, it is important to understand what you can expect. There are a few things that your vet will want to include in order to provide comprehensive preventive care that will help them to assess your pet’s status and keep them happy and healthy. Most preventive care programs start with an annual well-check examination, which can include collecting data such as weight, heart and lung sounds, checking of the eyes, ears and skin, checking of teeth and gums, recording temperature and checking the physical body for any potential problems.
Most physical examinations at your Dartmouth emergency vet will also include a blood draw, which helps to check for heartworm before providing heartworm treatment for dogs, as well as blood chemistries and blood count status. Most pets should have this type of thorough check-up on an annual basis, however your veterinarian will let you know if your pet needs to come in more frequently due to any illnesses, conditions or concerns. Vet care for cats and dogs, as well as other pets, should be as much a priority as it is for the human members of your family, in order to ensure a long and healthy life.
Other Preventive Care Services
In addition to the basic check-up at your Dartmouth emergency vet, it is important to understand the other preventive care services that can be provided. Basic fecal examinations can test for the presence of parasites that can inhabit the intestinal tract and cause all sorts of problems and illnesses. A urinalysis should be run in addition to blood work to test for other issues that could be causing health problems in your pet. Once these tests are done, the veterinary clinic in Dartmouth can prescribe other preventive treatments and medications to help your pet to feel great all year long.
Heartworm treatment for dogs is important no matter where you live. Some veterinarians are recommending heartworm treatment to be continued year round – even in areas like the South Coast region where we get a lot of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Boarding situations, road trips and vacations, dog parks and other types of contact can put your dog potentially in harm’s way, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. The same goes for preventive treatment medication for fleas and ticks, which can affect pets year round.
Nutrition and exercise, as well as discussions about your pet’s lifestyle and habits, should also be discussed with your veterinarian when you set an appointment for a regular exam. Nutrition is very important for your pet and should definitely be taken into consideration with the recommendations of your trusted Dartmouth emergency vet. Vet care for cats and dogs goes beyond basic feeding, watering and medical care, a strategic diet that addresses their unique needs can be very important to their overall health. Food allergies, too much protein, cheap ingredients and other issues are quite common in commercial food brands – even those that have been used and trusted for generations. Speak with your vet about the food that you give your pets and make sure it is appropriate for their needs.
Make an Appointment at Anchor Animal Hospital
If you are looking for a professional veterinary clinic in Dartmouth or anywhere in the South Coast region of Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, look no further than Anchor Animal Hospital. We have been providing top quality services to patients throughout the local area since 1975. Our team can help you with anything from basic check-ups and exams to testing for heartworm treatment for dogs, medical emergencies at our Dartmouth emergency vet hospital, pet dentistry, surgery and pain management, ultrasound, labs, x-rays and much more. Give us a call at 508-996-3731 to make an appointment or to learn more about our practice.