Why routine wellness visits are worth their weight in gold for the health and happiness of your pets
Our relationship with our pets and their unconditional love is a true gift. We want to protect that treasured relationship by protecting against the numerous threats to the health and happiness of your best companions. Fortunately, your community veterinary care provider in Ventura, CA, Cornelius Pet Hospital, can prevent or reduce these risks to your cat or dog. Our talented veterinarians, Drs Brandon Heikes and Elise LaFevre, and their equally skilled team work closely with clients on preventive and general wellness services. These services are tailored to your pet’s needs. They evolve with your pets as their needs change over time. Furthermore, our team effectively addresses the many threats to your pet’s overall health and quality of life with a range of conventional and integrative therapies and services.
How do you personalize wellness care?
Another way to look at this is to consider how four different types of factors shape your pet’s health. These factors include the environment, habits and behaviors, nutrition or diet, and community “exposures.” We can identify risks specific to your pet in each of these categories and address them as needed or accordingly.
What happens during these visits?
These “well” visits are fundamental and involve a “nose-to-tail” check or evaluation to assess your pet’s overall condition or health. Depending on their needs during a given visit, Drs. Heikes or LaFevre may provide guidance on or deliver services related to core vaccines to protect against infectious diseases. They can also recommend adding non-core vaccines to your pet’s wellness routine, tailored to your dog’s or cat’s specific risk factors. It’s also an opportunity to protect against internal and external parasites. We may perform heartworm testing and management. We keep “doggie breath” at bay and also support your pet’s best overall health and function with dental prophylaxis (the fancy way of saying “teeth cleaning”). Anal sacs may be expressed, and routine bloodwork or other diagnostic tests may be ordered as appropriate, too.
Is spaying and neutering a part of your wellness services?
Absolutely, they’re very important services! By spaying or neutering your pet, you are promoting the health and safety of the broader community and doing your part to reduce the homeless animal population. Spaying and neutering can reduce the risk of certain diseases. Intact dogs and cats are more likely to display negative behaviors that can have an equally negative impact on their well-being and quality of life. These behaviors also present safety risks to your pet. For instance, without spaying and neutering, your pet may be more likely to escape from the house and roam the neighborhood. They may also exhibit uncharacteristic aggression and hyper-vocalizations such as loud, excessive meowing and inappropriate urination or spraying. Spaying and neutering can help reduce some of these undesirable behaviors.
Do you recommend microchipping?
Yes, this service is approved by Drs. Heikes and LaFevre! Moreover, the process is quick, and easy. We place a small chip about the size of a grain of rice underneath the skin. The chip contains a unique identification number. So, if your pet does manage to escape or become separated from you, they can be scanned and identified. Microchips have helped to facilitate many joyous reunions among our clients and patients in the Ventura, California, area.
How often should we schedule wellness visits?
We want to keep your pet well rather than playing catch-up after symptoms or disease have developed. When your pet is healthy and young, annual visits may be sufficient. However, if you have a senior dog or cat or your pet has known conditions or risk factors for certain diseases, we will likely want to see them at least once every six months. We know you want to do all you can for your pet’s health. These services are one big step toward supporting many happy, healthy years with your beloved companion. Call Cornelius Animal Hospital at (805) 793-1708 to schedule your appointment today.
