While people often say their pets are their children, at least one fundamental difference exists between human kids and those of the furry variety: Pets can’t use words to tell you how they’re feeling.
And when it comes to veterinary care, the burden is entirely on the owner to closely evaluate his or her pet to determine health care needs. Part of this care includes regular trips to the vet.
Regardless of whether pets are receiving vaccines or not, cats and dogs should be taken to the vet at least once a year for basic care, says Dr. Todd Lightell with Historic Dublin’s Dublin Veterinary Clinic. If a vet considers a cat or dog of senior age, those pets should have basic appointments every six months.
Basic care involves a thorough physical exam “from the tip of their nose to the tip of their tail,” says Lightell. A vet will feel a pet’s abdomen and check its ears and mouth. A stool sample will be taken annually and, depending on the pet’s lifestyle and age, certain blood tests may be administered.
A vet will also talk to the owner about the pet’s health history since its last visit. Owners should let veterinarians know if they notice a change in the amount of food or water their pets consume, or if their pets are exhibiting any behavioral changes, such as hiding. Other things to note include lumps or bumps on a pet’s skin, mobility issues, sneezing or coughing, vomiting, and loose or hard stools.
Changes in defecation can be an indicator of a health issue. Cat owners can note whether they change the litterbox more often, or whether it is wetter than usual. With male cats, a lack of urine production could mean a blockage, which could be life-threatening.
Dog owners can pay attention to the frequency with which they need to take their pets out. A higher frequency could mean the pet is drinking more water than usual, or that it has diarrhea.
Obese or overweight pets might have a harder time getting around, or they might pant a lot. A pet’s rectangular or square shape, rather than an hourglass shape, might also be a sign that an owner is feeding a pet too much. An underweight pet might have a backbone and ribs that can easily be felt.
As pets grow older, Lightell says, they may suffer from issues very similar to the ones older humans deal with, including arthritis, eyesight deterioration and nutritional changes. To that end, many pet foods are marketed for senior animals.
A key thing for pet owners to remember is that a great deal can happen to a pet within a year’s time, due to cats’ and dogs’ short life expectancy. A vet examination can help a pet quite a bit, Lightell says.
While cats and dogs can both suffer from teeth problems, urine issues or other health concerns, they’re not exactly the same, Lightell says. Sometimes, cats may have a tendency to hide more than dogs do. If a cat has a serious health problem, it might hide it better than a dog would, which could make it harder for owners to detect an underlying problem.
“Just be very attentive to what’s normal for your animal,” Lightell says.
Sarah Sole is an editor. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
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