For most of us, our pets are family. Those that have children typically take them in for their annual checkups to make sure that they are hitting their “milestones” and check for any issues that may arise as they grow. Seniors also tend to have regularly scheduled visits which are typically more numerous then that of a healthy- young to middle aged adult. Dogs live shorter lives than us which in turn creates a faster timeline from puppy to adult. As studies show, dogs age about 7 years to every one calendar year. Because of this it is important to keep up with managing and staying aware of your pets health. I spoke with Dr. Shellie Campbell of Bear Lake Veterinary Clinic in Apopka, near Wekiva. She recommends that “young pets” receive an exam annually. With this exam she recommends any due vaccinations (or titers), and a small blood panel. The blood panel gives an idea as to how your pet is doing internally which may be especially useful since we arent able to talk to our pets. For older dogs, she recommends 2 visits a year, any needed vaccines (or titers), blood pressure monitoring and a more extensive blood work that check the functions of vital organs. Keeping in mind that our pets age faster than we do, is the reasoning behind doing 2 annual visits for older pets, to identify any issues that arise before they become unmanageable. Since our pets age so much quicker than we do, and since they are not able to tell us how they are feeling, it is very important to have them monitored by a vet regularly.
Dr. Campbell is a single vet office near Bear Lake Rd. in Apopka. She and her small staff are always friendly and eager to help in any way. For more information on Dr. Campbell’s practice visit her website: http://www.bearlakevet.com/