Preventive Care

The importance of preventive care for your pet

The health of your pet is at the heart of all we do at San Marco Animal Hospital and our team at San Marco Animal Hospital realizes that budget plays an important aspect too. Concerns over cost should never stand in the way of your furry loved one getting the care they need to stay happy and healthy.

One of the best ways to keep your wallet happy and your pet healthy is to maintain all of those annual and routine visits. Just as preventive check-ups, screenings, and exams are vital to your health, preventive care is also crucial for your pet’s health. These visits also support your financial wellness by catching problems early and treating them before they become a major financial burden or emergency.

By doing all this, you can prevent problems that require treatment, and through early detection of problems, you keep more money in your pocket and more years with your pet. Moreover, you help your pet avoid the trauma and pain of conditions that may lead to a need for extensive treatment and the risks that might be associated with invasive procedures. The joy and time you and your pet share are ultimately priceless, and we understand this. That is why at San Marco Animal Hospital, we provide your furry best friend with care that won’t break your bank.

Examples of preventive care available at San Marco Animal Hospital include:

• Grinding and clipping nails – Prevents nails from overgrowing into the paw pad, and putting painful pressure on toe joints. Overgrown nails can compromise your pet’s natural alignment, which increase’s his or her risk of injuries.
• Anal sac expression – When expressed properly, this can prevent anal glands from becoming impacted, infected or even ruptured. Dogs can also develop masses within the gland, so routine rectal palpation is essential for early detection.
• Ear cleaning – Removes dirt, debris, and wax build-up. Also helps prevent infection and check for problems within the ear canal.
• Vaccinations – Helps your pet’s immune system recognize diseases, fight off harmful invaders, and reduce the severity of illnesses (such as canine parvovirus and feline distemper)
• Microchipping – Electronic identification helps to reunite your pet with you should he or she ever unexpectedly get lost. Collars may break. Tags can be damaged or fall off. But, once registered, the microchip is a reliable way to trace your pet back to you, so you can have a joyous reunion!
• Spay/neuter – Beyond responsible ‘population control,’ pets that aren’t spayed or neutered are at increased risk of developing severe medical conditions such as:
  • Mammary gland cancers, which can grow quite large, and can cause rupture, bleeding, infection, and pain.
  • Pyometra, a uterine infection, can lead to septic shock and even death if left untreated in females.
  • Prostate enlargement can cause severe pain and cause the urethra to compress. This commonly occurs in male pets and can make your pet unable to urinate.
• Routine blood work – As a crucial part of annual wellness exams, routine blood works allows us to monitor your pet’s normal blood work values and screen for potential abnormalities. It also helps us detect diseases, such as diabetes or autoimmune diseases, early on. Early detection of abnormalities is vital and can be much less expensive to treat if caught.
• Parasite testing – Fleas and ticks, roundworms and hookworms, and a range of other parasites can carry serious diseases, some that can infect people too! These parasites are easily preventable and treatable. However, if left unchecked, they can cause health problems in your pet, including anemia, weight loss, and nutrition deficiencies.
• Routine dental cleaning – Scaling and polishing regularly assures your pet’s teeth and gums are healthy for comfortable chewing, early identification of tooth root abscesses and other problems before they also wreak havoc on overall health. As with humans, gum disease is associated with kidney, liver, and heart conditions.
• Heartworm Testing – In Florida, unfortunately, we have mosquitoes year-round. Not only do these pesky bugs carry organisms that are infectious to humans, but they can also carry parasites that are infectious to our pets, specifically heartworms. Preventing heartworms is relatively easy and inexpensive. However, treating the disease can be extremely painful and costly. Ask us about Proheart, an injection that eliminates the need for monthly oral heartworm medication and keeps your pet protected from heartworms for six months!

Preventive services, maintain your pet’s quality of life while avoiding costly and high-risk treatments. Our wellness plans include your pet’s yearly preventive care, and allow for affordable monthly payments, rather than paying it all upfront. Call us at 904-516-9767 to schedule a visit at San Marco Animal Hospital.