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Pet Health Network Contributors Dog Checkups & Preventive Care Overview As is the case with people, a dog’s health changes with age. Unfortunately, our pets age much faster than we do. Symptoms Regardless of your dog’s age, you play a key role in helping her combat illness and remain as healthy as possible. Remember, your dog cannot describe symptoms to you, but she can show you signs of disease. Awareness of the signs of the most common diseases is one way to help reduce your pet’s risk of being affected by them. It’s a little scary to consider that at least 10% of pets that appear healthy to their owners and their veterinarians during annual checkups have underlying diseases.1 The top 10 signs that your dog may be ill:
Unfortunately, you may not always recognize that your dog is sick. Often, even the most well-intentioned dog owners attribute the subtle signs of disease to aging. Diagnosis/Treatment Because signs of disease are not always obvious, your veterinarian may recommend preventive care testing as part of your dog’s annual exam. Preventive care testing often includes the following:
Prevention Preventive care screening not only helps to detect disease in its earlier stages, when it is most likely to respond to treatment, it also can help you avoid significant medical expense and risk to your dog’s health if an illness goes undetected. In addition, by establishing your pet’s normal baseline laboratory values during health, your veterinarian—and you—can more easily see when something is wrong with your pet. Annual screening is the best preventive medicine! For more information about preventive testing, contact your veterinarian—your best resource for information about the health and well-being of your pet. If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets. Reference: 1. Rehm M. Seeing double. Vet Econ. 2007;48(10):40–48. If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets. Reviewed by: Dr. Sarah Tasse, DVM
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