Because dogs and cats age, on average, about seven times faster than people, significant health changes can occur relatively quickly. Most people don’t realize that their pet seeing the veterinarian only once a year is equivalent to a person seeing their doctor or dentist every seven years.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommends young cats receive preventative-care exams every six months so that problems can be prevented or detected before they become life threatening. Preventative care exams include screenings for a variety of illnesses and a risk assessment based on your pet’s environment, allowing Dr. Fondren to create a personalized prevention program for your pet.
We recommend regular wellness exams for the same reason your physician and dentist recommend them: If you can detect a problem in its early stages, it’s more likely to be treated and resolved with less expense, less difficulty, and better success. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Vaccinations, heartworm prevention, and routine deworming are important components of wellness care and can prevent diseases that are not only life-threatening but very expensive to treat. We can recommend a wellness program based on your pet’s breed (some breeds are predisposed to certain health problems), age, lifestyle, and overall health.