Many families view their pets as integral parts of their family. Like any member of the family who wants to maintain good health, it's important for pets to benefit from medical services. According to Petpedia, more than 85 million United States families have at least one pet. A local veterinarian can provide pets with the care they need to live a long and healthy life as much as possible. Here’s a closer look at the services your veterinarian can provide for your beloved pet or pets.

Wellness and Preventative Care

A pet should undergo an annual checkup to help track their health and catch any issues that might arise early. Blood work and a general checkup can identify common issues that often claim the lives of pets, such as kidney disease. If caught early, your veterinarian might create a treatment plan that helps your pet stay relatively healthy for many more years. For example, a cat that is in the early stages of kidney failure might undergo a weekly IV treatment that flushes toxins and helps your cat to stay in reasonably good health for potentially several more years.

Vaccinations

If you have a kitten, puppy, or another very young pet, they need the protection of vaccinations. Your local veterinarian can help protect your pet against a variety of potential viruses, diseases, and illnesses with vaccinations. Your veterinarian also can give your pet annual boosters that help to maximize protection against potentially deadly diseases and other afflictions. A vaccinated pet has the best chance of living a full, healthy, and happy life while continuing to be a great companion.

Spay/Neuter Services

It's important to spay and neuter pets that you don't intend to have offspring. Your local veterinarian can spay or neuter your pet quickly and give you instructions on how to care for them while they heal from the procedure. Most pets are fine after a couple of days but should be watched closely to ensure there are no bad reactions to the procedure despite the vast majority being successful.

Internal Medicine

Internal medicine is closely related to the wellness and preventive care that your local veterinarian can provide for your pets. If your pet has become ill or otherwise is showing signs of potential medical problems, your vet can use a variety of diagnostic tools to accurately diagnose the condition and create a treatment plan. Your pet might need medication, a dietary change, or a surgical procedure to help them recover and continue being a healthy and happy part of your family.

Dental Care

Pets need dental care just as much as people do. The older a pet gets, the more likely they might develop periodontal disease or other problems that affect their oral and dental health. You might notice your pet’s breath has gotten bad or that they have a chipped or missing tooth. Your local veterinarian can examine your pet’s teeth and gums while diagnosing their oral health. Your vet might need to remove one or more teeth to prevent gum disease or possible infection, but your pet will have better dental health.

Pet Surgery

You might have a pet who has a broken bone, cancer, or another medical condition that requires surgical care done by your local veterinarian. Your veterinarian can use X-rays, blood tests, and other diagnostic tools that can help determine what is wrong with your pet. Surgery might fix a serious problem that is affecting your pet’s health. The cause might be an accident, an encounter with a dangerous animal, or an illness that becomes progressively worse. Surgery might be needed to enable healing and good health.

End of Life Care

Sadly, we typically outlive our pets. If you're like many people and have pets throughout most of your adulthood and especially throughout your childhood, you'll outlive many of your pets. When the inevitable is coming, your local veterinarian can provide end-of-life care that minimizes your pet’s suffering. Your veterinarian also might have options or referrals for cremating your pet and memorializing your pet to help preserve their memory.

Green Tree Animal Hospital can help your pets stay happy and healthy for as long as possible. You can call, submit an online form, or visit us to learn more about our local veterinarian services. Our team of experts is ready to assist you!