A Guide to Preventive Care for Pets: Essential Tips for Pet Owners

We all want our furry companions to live forever. Since that’s a little out of reach, the next best thing you can do for your pet is to focus on preventive care. There are many ways you can help your pet enjoy a long, happy, and healthy life with preventative pet care. The team at PetSmart Veterinary Services – Smyrna shares top pet wellness and pet health tips that every pet owner should follow.

3 Pet Health Maintenance Tips For a Long and Healthy Life

#1. Regular Vet Checkups

Scheduling regular vet checkups is one of the most important aspects of routine pet care. Your veterinarian can catch potential issues early, which makes treatment more effective. Here’s a non-comprehensive list of the health issues and symptoms your veterinarian can catch and treat early on:

• Dental disease: Early signs of gum disease, tooth decay, or infection–which pet dental care can help prevent.
• Obesity: Monitoring weight gain and offering dietary advice before it becomes a serious health concern.
• Parasite infestations: Detection of fleas, ticks, or internal parasites like heartworms before symptoms become severe.
• Diabetes: Identifying early symptoms like increased thirst and urination, leading to early intervention.
• Kidney disease: Catching early kidney function changes through routine blood tests.
• Heart disease: Detecting murmurs or irregular heart rhythms that may require monitoring or treatment.
• Cancer: Finding lumps, bumps, or other early indicators of tumors through physical exams.
• Thyroid disorders: Recognizing abnormal hormone levels that can affect metabolism and energy levels.

Make sure your pet gets a preventive visit at least once a year. If you have a senior or geriatric pet, your veterinarian may recommend twice-yearly visits to monitor your pet’s overall health.  

#2. Pet Vaccinations

Vaccinations are critical for protecting your pet from serious illnesses. Your vet will suggest a schedule of pet vaccinations based on your pet’s breed, age, and environment. Common immunizations protect against:

• Rabies: Fatal viral disease that affects the nervous system of mammals, including humans, and is transmitted through bites.
• Distemper: Highly contagious virus that affects a pet’s respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems—often fatal if untreated.
• Parvovirus: Dangerous virus, especially for puppies, that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, and can be fatal.
• Hepatitis: Viral infection that affects the liver, kidneys, and eyes, and can lead to severe organ damage.
• Leptospirosis: Bacterial infection that can damage the liver and kidneys—can also spread from pets to humans.
• Bordetella (Kennel Cough): Bacterial or viral infection that causes severe coughing and respiratory issues.
• Feline Leukemia (for cats): Viral disease that suppresses the immune system, making cats vulnerable to infections and certain cancers.

Most pet parents remember to get their puppies vaccinated, but adult dogs and cats need vaccines and boosters, too! Talk to your vet about the best vaccination schedule for your pawsome pal. 

#3. Pet Parasite Prevention

Parasites like fleas, ticks, and especially heartworms can pose a serious risk to your pet’s health. Pet parasite prevention is crucial to the health of your favorite four-legged companions. Here in warm, wet Georgia, pests are active all year long. Common pet parasite preventives Georgia pets should take include:

• Heartworm preventives: Protect against potentially deadly heartworms transmitted by mosquitoes, which are absolutely everywhere in Georgia.
• Flea preventives: Help prevent infestations that can cause discomfort and skin infections.
• Tick preventives: Protect against ticks, which can transmit diseases like Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis.
• Intestinal worm preventives: Guard against roundworms, hookworms, and other intestinal parasites common in warm climates.
• Ear mite preventives: Protects pets, especially cats, from ear mites, which are more common in warmer, humid environments like the Peach State.

Talk to your veterinarian about the best ways to keep your pet pest-free, all year long.

Keeping Smyrna’s Pets Healthy 

The caring team at PetSmart Veterinary Services – Smyrna is here to help you and your pet enjoy many happy, healthy years together. Call our office today at (770) 759-1124 to schedule your pet’s preventive medicine appointment.