LAS VEGAS, Jan. 17, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- General wellness examinations are key to preserving a pet’s health and wellbeing over the long-term, which is why Gentle Doctor Animal Hospital recommends a thorough pet examination for all pet owners. Under the guidance of Dr. Gerald Pribyl, pet owners can screen for pre-existing medical conditions, obtain preventative care, and receive tips to protect their pet’s health going into the future.

A huge part of annual wellness exams has to do with prevention. Wellness exams offer an opportunity for the veterinarian to capture a current health status on your pet, review any current lifestyle changes and discuss the needs for vaccinations, deworming, and heartworm prevention strategies, in addition to obtaining a complete oral health review. This helps prevent serious and sometimes life-threatening diseases that are often more difficult and expensive to treat once they’ve progressed. “A wellness screening is essential for every pet, including screening for cancer, heart disease, and issues like heartworms, which often go undetected by pet owners,” said Pribyl. “I love helping animals have the best health possible, which not only improves their lives, but the lives of the people who care about their pets so much.”

There are many reasons for providing your pet with an annual wellness exam. However, the main reason is that pets do not age at the same rate as humans. Pet owners don’t often realize how these various health issues could arise over such a short period of time. Simply stated, pets do not age at the same rate as humans. For example, cats and dogs age at roughly a 5 to 1 ratio to humans. That means if a pet owner waits two years to bring their pet to a veterinarian, it’s the equivalent of waiting 10 years for a pet. I believe we can all agree that a lot can happen with our own health over a period of 10 years.

Even if there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with a pet, that doesn’t mean there aren’t potential health issues that need to be addressed. For example, up to 85 percent of cats and dogs have dental issues. These oral health issues, left unattended, can lead to damage of internal organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys.

Veterinary medicine is progressing all the time, which means there are always new methods for detecting illnesses. At the same time, recommendations also change, such as those surrounding vaccinations. An annual wellness examination is a good time for pet owners to touch base with a veterinarian and learn the best way to keep their pet as healthy as possible.

Annual wellness exams are not just for dogs and cats either. Exotic animals and “pocket pets” like reptiles, ferrets, birds, and rabbits should also undergo an annual exam. With a wellness examination, Dr. Pribyl and his associates can offer recommendations based on your pet’s breed, age, overall health, and environment, including any necessary dietary changes and/or certain nutriceuticals they may need to start taking.  

Gentle Doctor Animal Hospital is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is dedicated to providing the best medical care to pets possible, offering services such as vaccinations, diagnostic workups, laser surgery, laser pain therapy, and of course wellness examinations. Contact them at (702) 259-9200.

Gentle Doctor Animal Hospital, (702) 259-9200