Pet Health exams

It's not easy keeping our pets healthy. After all, dogs and cats are frequently exposed to organisms that can cause disease or illnesses. Even pets that never go outdoors are at risk. What's more, pets age seven times faster, on average, than people. That means major health changes can occur in a short amount of time.

With twice-a-year pet wellness exams and risk assessment. By visiting your veterinary clinic twice a year, you'll help detect, treat and, ideally, prevent health problems before they pose a risk to your pet.
Risk assessment is ideally performed at your veterinary clinic during the pet's semi-annual wellness exam.
A veterinarian or veterinary technician will ask you a variety of questions about your pet's behavior, lifestyle, travel history and other factors. Your veterinarian will then use this information to develop an individualized disease prevention program that's right for your pet and the disease threats in your area. Here's an example of a canine assessment form.

Source: National Pet Wellness Month

Spaying and Neutering

By making sure that your pet can't have puppies or kittens, you'll have peace of mind that his or her offspring won't be euthanized in an animal shelter.
Many people are surprised to learn that nationwide more than 3 million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters. Spay/neuter is the only permanent, 100-percent effective method of birth control for dogs and cats. Spaying and neutering may also reduce the risk of certain health problems, offering you more years with your beloved dog or cat. Licensed veterinarians perform the spay or neuter operation while the pet is under anesthesia. Depending on your pet's age, size and health, he or she will stay at your veterinarian's office for a few hours or a few days. Your veterinarian can fully explain spay and neuter procedures to you.

Source: Human Society of the United States