To keep your pet healthy and happy it is important to visit the vet regularly for vaccinations and physical examinations. The frequency of visits depends on different factors: age, lifestyle and whether your pet has health problems.
Puppies are initially visited monthly, while adult dogs and cats only need to have a check-up once or twice a year.
Animals cannot tell us if they are unwell, some species even hide illnesses and pain, so it is important to visit a veterinarian regularly.
During the visit, a complete physical examination (nose-to-tail exam) is carried out: the animal is weighed, the temperature and pulse are checked, the lungs and heart are auscultated, the eyes, ears and mouth are checked.
The vet will ask questions about their diet, water intake, activity levels, changes in weight and behaviour. If necessary, diagnostic tests are performed and vaccines are administered.
Preventative medicine will help your pet live a longer and better quality life.
WHAT IS PREVENTIVE MEDICINE?
Vaccinations: are essential for your furry friend to acquire defenses against infectious diseases.
Dogs are vaccinated every year against rabies, parvovirus, parainfluenza, leptospirosis, infectious hepatitis and distemper virus. In this area we also recommend vaccination against leishmaniasis. These are very serious illnesses that can end your companion’s life.
Cats are vaccinated against calicivirus, panleukopenia and infectious rhinotracheitis (which are transmitted through the air) and cats that go outside are additionally vaccinated against feline leukemia virus.
Parasite detection and prevention: Many parasites are disease vectors. Some of these are very serious and prevention is key, for exemple with leishmaniasis. In addition, if your pet has parasites, there is a risk of contagion to you and your family.
Balanced nutrition: They say we are what we eat, and that goes for your pet too. To acquire strong defenses, it is vital that their diet is balanced both in terms of amounts and variety of nutrients. It is also very important to keep a healthy weight and to have an active lifestyle, with physical exercise adapted to breed, age and health status.
Blood tests: to detect health problems early on.
Senior visit: In the last years of your furry friend’s life, there is a greater risk of diseases or age-related problems appearing. That is why we recommend monitoring more constantly, which allows us to make an earlier diagnosis of diseases and act more quickly if needed.
Dental hygiene: Oral hygiene is very important for general well-being and is key to keeping your pet healthy. If a dog or cat could brush their teeth, they wouldn’t need to have frequent mouth cleanings, but since they can’t do it themselves and we often don’t do it regularly enough (we know this from our own experience, we also have pets… ), they’ll need to have their teeth cleaned from time to time.
When pets com for their annual checkup, we always examine the teeth. If we see that they need cleaning, we will inform you and explain the procedure.
Periodontal diseases (gingivitis, dental calculus, tooth loss and infections) cause pain and this causes the animal to stop eating or eat less, so it does not get the nutrients it needs.
Apart from this, dental and gingival infections cause the oral cavity to be occupied by large amounts of bacteria. These bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to other areas, causing distant or systemic effects.
Bacteria found in the mouths of dogs and cats are associated with endocarditis (inflammation and infection of the inside of the heart) and valvular disease. Also the liver and kidneys, which filter the blood, are particularly susceptible to the effects of dental disease.
To prevent serious problems, we recommend keeping your mouth and teeth clean.
At Clínica Veterinària Multifauna Girona we inform you of all these common procedures in preventive medicine, taking care of your fur and your family.
The vet who listens to you, helps you and advises you: Clínica Veterinària Multifauna Girona.