If you are an inexperienced pet owner, you almost certainly associate trips to the veterinarian with the idea of your pet being unwell. While this is certainly the case, many people are surprised to learn that modern day vets also offer a wide range of other services, many of which are designed to help prevent your pet from becoming sick in the first place. Since the health and happiness of your much-loved creature is bound to be one of your biggest priorities, perhaps it unsurprising that an increasing number of responsible and compassionate owners are opting for preventative care services, including preventative care testing.

What is preventative care testing?

Preventative care testing, also often referred to as wellness examinations, give our vet at Bonnie Brae Veterinary Hospital the opportunity to evaluate your pet's overall health and detect any problems before they become serious illnesses with potentially long-term consequences. This is important because, since they don't want to appear vulnerable, animals are exceptionally good at masking how they feel. This means that they tend to withhold showing any symptoms until a condition has progressed significantly, by which time there may be irreversible damage to your pet's health.

However, by monitoring the results of preventative care tests, our veterinarian can identify any unusual patterns or anomalies that might suggest that she is suffering from an infection or disease. In doing so, further investigations can be carried out (if required) and the relevant treatment can be started promptly. This will reduce the effects that your pet will experience, including pain and other unpleasant symptoms, and should lead to a better overall outcome.

What is included in preventative care testing?

Preventative care testing takes the form of a number of different examinations and tests. In most instances this includes:

A complete blood count

Also known as a CBC, this blood panel looks at the number of red and white blood cells in the sample taken to ensure that they are at appropriate levels. This test can tell our vet if your pet is anemic, or if her immune system has been triggered and she is already fighting some sort of illness or infection.

A blood chemistry test

This is another blood panel, but this type of test looks at the balance of chemicals, hormones and enzymes in the sample to determine how well your pet's organs are functioning.

Urinalysis

Your pet's urine is a valuable source of information about the function of your pet's excretory system, and can detect problems such as diabetes, kidney disease and urinary tract infections.

Parasite infestations

Internal and external parasites are very common problems affecting both domestic and wild animals and can cause a multitude of health problems, and in some cases, can be fatal. Most veterinarians recommend that pets are tested annually for internal parasites, including heartworm disease which can only be detected via a blood test.

Dental examination

Studies have shown that poor dental health is intrinsically linked to a number of chronic and potentially serious medical problems, including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, kidney and liver disorders and even cancer. This is largely due to most dogs and cats developing periodontal disease during their lifetime, an inflammatory problem that is caused by plaque invading the gums.

Annual dental check-ups and professional dental cleans can ensure that your pet's teeth are as healthy as possible, minimizing the risk of periodontal disease.

If your pet has never had preventative care testing before, our team of highly experienced veterinarians in Columbus would be delighted to provide this service. Our comprehensive preventative care and early detection testing services can help your pet to live a longer, healthier life. Contact our vets in Columbus, NC today to find out more.