When your pet appears perfectly healthy, you may believe their wellness visit and screening tests are unnecessary. However, these preventive care measures help your four-legged friend live a longer, healthier, happier life. Our Colony Veterinary Hospital team explains why you should keep your pet’s regular wellness visit. 

#1: Regular wellness tests detect diseases early

While you may be completely in tune with your pet, you may be unaware they are ill, because diseases can become advanced—causing irreversible damage—before your furry friend exhibits illness signs. By performing your pet’s regular wellness screening, your veterinarian can determine whether a disease is affecting your pet long before they show illness signs. Wellness screening tests may include:

  • Physical exam
  • Fecal exam
  • Tick-borne and heartworm disease test
  • Complete blood count
  • Blood chemistry panel
  • Urinalysis
  • Blood pressure reading
  • X-rays 

By performing these tests, our veterinarians gather information about your pet’s health status, and can detect diseases such as parasitic conditions, skin problems, bladder issues, organ dysfunction, and underlying inflammation or infection.

#2: Regular wellness screening tests establish your pet’s health baseline

Your veterinarian performs regular wellness screening tests to determine your pet’s normal baseline values. All diagnostic tests have a species-specific normal value range, and while your pet’s values should be within this normal range, some of their levels may occasionally fall outside the set parameters. However, if your pet has had regular screening tests that indicate these values remain consistent, their results may be considered normal. Over time, your veterinarian can see patterns, and compare baseline results with future testing results, which helps them identify your pet’s potential health conditions before a disease has progressed, rather than spot checking their screening test results after they become seriously ill.

#3: Regular wellness visits allow you to ask pet care questions

At times, you may wonder whether your pet’s behavior is normal. Your pet’s wellness visit is the time to ask your veterinarian pet care questions, so bring your list of questions and concerns about providing the best care for your pet. During your pet’s wellness visit, your veterinarian is available to discuss your pet’s nutrition, behavior, training, and preventive care, which can help improve your pet’s quality of life, and set a solid foundation for their healthy, happy future.

#4: Regular wellness screening tests may prompt additional diagnostic testing

If your veterinarian recommends performing additional diagnostic testing after your pet’s regular wellness screening test results are in, you likely feel unnerved, but these tests are essential to early-stage disease detection. For example, although your pet’s kidney values remain within the normal range—but may have slowly climbed several years in a row—your veterinarian can perform specialized kidney function testing to detect issues they can manage before disease progresses and causes irreversible damage.

#5: Regular veterinary visits can save you money in the long run

Although you may question why you are spending money for screening tests when your pet appears perfectly healthy, regular wellness care that includes early disease detection contributes to your pet’s long, healthy life. By spending minimal money to evaluate and monitor your pet’s health annually, you can avoid costly, extensive diagnostic testing and treatment for a long-undetected, advanced condition. In addition, when you know your pet will be having their annual wellness screening tests, you can budget for them, keeping in mind that the cost from year to year remains steady. On the other hand, if your pet becomes unexpectedly ill, extensive diagnostic testing’s cost can be more difficult to fit in your budget.

Ensuring your pet has their regular wellness exam and health screening tests are key to maintaining their health. Is it time for your furry pal’s annual wellness visit? Don’t let it pass by without scheduling an appointment with our Colony Veterinary Hospital team.