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NUTRITION A healthy, nutritious diet builds a foundation for well-being and disease prevention throughout your Pet's lifetime. As a dog ages, his nutritional needs change; for example, a puppy needs a diet high in calories and protein to maintain its active lifestyle and to grow healthy bones and muscles. An older dog may need a diet restricted in calories and supplemented with fiber for optimum weight and gastrointestinal health. Nutritional counseling is a vital component of your Pet's health care and a part of every Banfield Optimum Wellness Plan. We can help you decide which food is best for your Pet during each life stage. Royal Canin Veterinary Diets are the preferred veterinary and maintenance diets of Banfield, The Pet Hospital. Learn more about Royal Canin Veterinary Diets here > ^ top VACCINATIONS Vaccinations are one of mankind's greatest medical achievements and can help your dog live a longer, healthier life. Vaccinations protect dogs from many viral predators, including parvovirus, coronavirus, adenovirus, parainfluenzavirus, giardia and distemper. These organisms cause a wide range of disease symptoms, from sneezing to bloody diarrhea and death. Just like a child, your puppy needs to be protected at an early age and given boosters as an adult. Banfield will develop the safest possible vaccine schedule. If your dog is on a Wellness Plan, it'll be covered by our 100% Vaccine Warranty. ^ top PARASITE CONTROL Many types of worms can affect your Pet, and some can be contagious to you and your family. Worms attach to the intestinal lining, causing painful diarrhea or life-threatening conditions. They also compete for your Pet's nutrients, stunting growth and depriving your Pet of energy. Worms live inside your Pet, so it may not be obvious that your dog is suffering an infestation. At Banfield, all Wellness Plans cover routine fecal exams during which we check for microscopic worm eggs in your Pet's stool sample. Most puppies are born with worms, so our doctors immediately begin to tailor a deworming schedule to meet your Pet's needs. Our goal is to recommend the safest and best deworming medication at the appropriate time for your Pet. Along with vaccinations, routine deworming and fecal checks, providing your puppy with a heartworm preventive will decrease the likelihood that your Pet will be infected with a worm that can cause fatal heartworm disease. To ensure that no infection has occurred, we recommend testing your Pet's blood for heartworm every year, a service that's covered in all Optimum Wellness Plans. We'll also help you with parasites that attack your Pet from the outside, like fleas, ticks, lice and mites. ^ top SPAYING OR NEUTERING One of the best veterinary health care choices you can make is to spay or neuter your dog. Scheduling this important surgery early in your Pet's life helps prevent many future problems, including cancer of the reproductive organs, behavior problems such as fighting, roaming and marking, and Pet overpopulation. Spays (which are technically known as ovariohysterectomies) and neuters are routine and generally safe, but they are major surgeries that require general anesthesia and an all-day stay. Banfield uses safe, human-quality anesthetic agents, sevoflurane and propofol, for a faster recovery. Spays and neuters are usually performed when the Pet is four to six months old. Your veterinarian will discuss all surgical options with you and help you pick the right time for your Pet. ^ top ROUTINE CHECKUPS Think about the regular care you receive throughout your lifetime from pediatricians, dentists, physicians, allergists, ophthalmologists and so on. Why settle for anything less for your Pet? Now think about the fact that Pets age an average of seven years for every one of ours—and it's clear why regular care is so critical. At Banfield, we recommend that your Pet receive a comprehensive physical exam every six months. A regular checkup lets you know if your Pet needs deworming, training, dental care, a change in diet, grooming or special testing or care. By giving your Pet the regular care it needs, you give them the best chance to live a long, happy life with you! Authored by Brent Carroll, DVM ^ top |
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