Preventative Veterinary Care is something that plays a vital role in maintaining your animals' health, but it extends vastly beyond the recommendations for vaccinations and annual physical exams. Treatments such as heartworm, flea and tick, and annual blood work are important to prevent problems before they start and to catch illnesses early when we are able to treat them more effectively and hopefully at less cost to you to client.

Heartworm:

Prevention of heartworm disease is based on a once a month chewable tablet or treat that contains a longer acting medication that prevents worms from developing in the blood stream and inhabiting the right side of your animals heart. In order for this disease to develop, your animal needs to be bit by a mosquito. While it's very true that Arizona does not the largest population of mosquito, especially compared to the Midwest region of the USA, but heartworm positive animals are diagnosed on a annual basis in native Arizona canines. Treatment for a heartworm positive animal can reach into the thousand dollar range very quickly. On top of the heavy financial burden, the stress on the owner and animal to stay calm and prevent bouts of intense exercise or activity that can raise the heart rate, leading to blood clots is substantial. Prevention of this disease is the key and significantly less expensive on a year to year basis when compared to the cost of treating a heartworm positive animal.

Fleas and Ticks:

This type of prevention is overlooked sometimes when compared to a regimented disease prevention plan, but in the state of Arizona it is critical to make sure your animal is guarded against these little pests. Arizona does have a large population of ticks more so than fleas, but animals routinely show up in our exam rooms affected with both parasites. The disease Ehrlichia, otherwise known as Tick Fever, is a common condition for animals in our state and it only takes the bite of one tick to start the myriad of symptoms that can be extremely debilitating and dangerous for your pet. Our hospital sells Frontline for dogs and cats as a topical liquid that is placed on the skin once a month. This treatment prevents or kills any fleas and ticks that may be on the skin currently as well the eggs they lay deep in the hair coat hear the roots. If your pet is affected with ticks or fleas or has been in the past it is important to get your house spray to ensure the infestation does not come back. 

Other treatments such as blood work and even regular grooming can prevent your dog from being affected with a condition that is severe rather than a mild easily treatable condition. Recent studies conducted by a large veterinary corporation showed that ~20% of all healthy animals have treatable abnormalities found on a blood panel when done as part of an annual wellness check up. These panels can be done in house or sent off to a lab for analysis, but bottom line is you can make a big difference with your pet and catch or prevent problems early with routine blood work and other monthly treatments like those previously mentioned.