Preventative Veterinary Hospital in Charleston SC
At Hampton Park Veterinary Hospital, we provide comprehensive preventive veterinary care services customized for the needs of each pet. We consider consistent preventive pet care the key to lifelong health for our furry patients. Instead of waiting until your pet is sick or injured, we work with you and your pet to identify and prevent potential or developing health issues before they become serious.
What is Veterinary Preventive Care?
Preventive veterinary care encompasses a range of treatments and procedures designed to prevent the development of disease and injury in pets. Based on the findings, your veterinarian will provide you with recommendations for your pet’s nutrition, dental care, vaccinations, and heartworm and parasite prevention, as well as recommendations specifically tailored to your pet’s health status and risk factors.
How Often Should I Visit the Vet for Preventive Care?
Our pets age much faster than us. On average, most dogs and cats reach adulthood at two years old, and by age 4, many pets are entering middle age. By age 7, most dogs, particularly larger breeds, are entering their senior years. Because of this, significant health changes can occur in a short amount of time, and the risks of cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, heart disease, metabolic problems, and other severe conditions all increase with age.
All dogs and cats should be examined by a veterinarian every six months, regardless of age. Think of it as routine maintenance for your pet. These dog and cat wellness exams are a crucial part of preventative care and give you a chance to track your pet’s growth and development, detect and treat any health issues early, and discuss any concerns with your vet.
Vet Preventive Medicine at Hampton Park Veterinary
A preventative care visit at Hampton Park Veterinary includes:
- Comprehensive Cat and Dog Wellness Exams: A comprehensive exam typically includes a head-to-tail checkup, dental exam, weight measurement, observing the patient’s behavior and motion, and discussing your pet’s daily routine, diet, water consumption, weight, preexisting conditions, behavior, or any other pertinent information. We look for subtle symptoms of potential illness or injury during this process and record your pet’s information to create baselines for future diagnosis.
- Vaccines: Vaccination is one of the most important preventive measures you can take for your pet’s health. We will develop a tailored vaccination schedule for your pet and update any necessary vaccines during your appointment.
- Internal Medicine: This may include blood tests, X-rays, ultrasound, hormone testing, and electrocardiogram or ECG. This allows us to diagnose and treat several diseases such as thyroid disease and major organ malfunctions with the liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract.
- Heartworm and Parasite Preventions: Cats and dogs are vulnerable to various parasites, which can infect their heart, lungs, or digestive system. Heartworms and parasites can cause weight loss, respiratory conditions, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, fever, and dermatological irritation. We’ll perform an intestinal parasite and heartworm screening and provide treatment recommendations based on the results.
What Are the Benefits of Regular Pet Check-Ups?
Prevention is the real goal of twice-a-year wellness exams. When your pet sees a vet regularly, they can help pets avoid preventable illnesses and diseases. Preventable diseases like obesity, ear infections, and dental disease can be addressed through routine pet wellness exams, and early screenings for arthritis, diabetes, and kidney disease are performed. For example, if kidney disease is caught early enough, something as simple as a diet switch could save your pet from being hospitalized, put on dialysis or fluids, and save you a lot of money as well.
Pet Preventive Care Costs
The cost of veterinary preventive care visits will vary, since we won’t be giving vaccines or blood tests at every visit. We will always gladly explain treatment costs before you commit to anything. You also get to save money in the long run by preventing issues or catching them early when they are easily treatable and often less costly.
Pet Check-Ups at Hampton Park Veterinary Hospital
Regular vet wellness exams offer an opportunity to identify developing diseases and conditions before obvious symptoms occur and provide treatment when it is least invasive and most effective. No matter the stage of your pet’s life, we will take ample time and effort to help customize diet, exercise, supplementation, medicine, and home environment that are best suited for your pet’s optimum quality longevity. Through this approach, everybody wins! And over the long haul, better preventative care means fewer visits to the vet and the ER! Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
