The ancient saying 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?' couldn’t be truer. Especially when it comes to the safety and wellbeing of our pets. So, let’s upskill our knowledge and delve into preventative pet care.
When it comes to our pets, the line between loving their adventurous nature and being instantly annoyed by their reckless behaviours is rather thin. One moment we love that they’re chasing the kids around or testing their nine lives jumping from the wall, and then the next minute they’re rummaging through your trash, ripping furniture and chewing on things that are CLEARLY not food.
Pets will forever keep you on your toes, whether you like it or not.
This is why we’ve got to put a few measures in place to keep them safe when they’re testing their more rebellious sides.
Starting with preventative care.
What is preventative care?
Look, no one expects you to know what preventative pet care is at the top of your head. Unless you’ve been following my blogs, then you know exactly what I’m talking about and you can move onto the next heading – congrats!
But don’t feel any shame if you’re still here because once you stick around and familiarise yourself with this phrase, you can be like the others and skip on ahead.
Preventative care revolves around maintaining your pet’s optimum health. Essentially, preventative care is there to help detect any potential medical issues early on, so that you can deal with them sooner rather than later. Not only could this save your pets life but save you THOUSANDS of Rands too.
Your FAQs on Preventative Care
To prove my dedication to giving you a holistic view of preventative care, I took the liberty of talking to a few of you. I wanted to delve into your personal questions and here were the top 4 FAQS:
What happens when you skip over preventative care?
Well, the short answer is that both your pet and your finances will suffer. If any disease or illness goes undetected in your pet it can either get to an incurable stage or can be incredibly expensive to treat as specialised and advanced medical care may be needed.
Should I get both pet insurance and preventative care?
This is a great question and what’s better is that the answer is simple. The answer is yes, yes and yes again. Merging these two pet care options means that your pet is fully covered from day to day to emergency cover and everything in between.
It is the complete health support structure!
How often should my pet be seen for preventive care?
Now, let the record show that I am not a veterinarian, so it’s best to speak to your family vet about your specific pet. That being said, on average they say that you should be visiting your local vet at least 1 to 2 times a year!
What will my veterinarian do during a dog preventative care appointment?
Essentially, your vet will be doing a full physical exam and several crucial tests. During this physical, your vet will be doing a thorough inspection of your pet’s health including the following:
- Dental Health
- Exercise
- Vaccination Status
- Parasite Control
- Behaviour
- X Rays - primarily for older pets
Following this exam, your vet will explain their findings and then advise you on the next course of action to ensure your pets optimal health.
Your preventative care checklist
- Make sure that your pet visits the vet regularly. I cannot stress this one enough. As your pet gets older, the more important it is to go more regularly. You may think your pet is fine but a qualified practitioner should say it!
- Get all of your pet’s vaccines and shots regularly. This will help keep them protected from common issues including canine hepatitis, cat flu, distemper etc.
- Remember to treat all fleas and parasites. Your cat or dog will need to have regular intestinal deworming treatments and flea and tick control. This one is often neglected so make sure to highlight this one, okay?
- Do not be lured by cheaper pet food options. Ensure that you are giving your pet good quality food that is catered specifically to their breed and age.
- Make sure that you groom your pet. Comb their fur, cut their nails and make sure to look for any random bumps, lumps and odd growths.
- Remember to constantly clean your pet’s teeth – yes, as odd as that may sound. Unhealthy teeth not only cause your pet tooth pain, but the bacteria can also lead to more serious diseases in their heart and kidneys.
- Last, and definitely not least, don’t forget to take out comprehensive pet insurance. It is the easier and quickest way to prioritise your pet’s preventative care!
Prioritising the health, happiness and wellbeing of your pet starts and ends with preventative care measures. So, show your pet TRUE love by sticking to this list!
Until next time,
The Pet Insurance Team