If I Can Catch Something Early and Can Possibly Cure It - I Want to!

By Brittany J Marvel

With every patient, I try to keep that mindset "If this were my dog or cat what would I do?" Sure, as a vet, I have more tools to play with than the average person and, I suppose, in some ways, I have unlimited access to veterinary care. However, I try to be realistic and consider quality of life for each of my dogs. (... And let it be known, that each of my dogs' measures of quality of life is different: Google, my Beagle, needs to be able to bark, Bear, my rambunctious male Brittany, needs to be able to run, Emma, my sweet female Brittany, needs to be able to cuddle, and well, Teddy needs to chew up toys). Their measure of quality of life definitely plays into how I treat their particular conditions. I ask owners to consider the same- what is the temperament of their pet- sweet, calm, pleasing, or active, energetic, always moving? Is the treatment going to make them feel like it's the end of the world? Do the ends (result of treatment) justify the means?

So, Dr. Marvel, "How does preventative medicine play into this?"

Well, I am glad you asked :).

Annual physical examinations, fecals, heartworm tests, and bloodwork/ urinalysis are the cornerstones to preventative medicine. Why? Because these tests allow us to catch disease processes early (when they
are possibly reversible) and treat accordingly. By catching disease/illness early on, in most cases, we can treat without interfering with quality of life for most patients.

Physical Examinations

I have the luxury of doing physical examinations on my dogs at home. (I get the eye roll from Emma quite often when I am palpating her all over!) But it's important, because if I can catch something early and can possibly cure it- I want to! This is why annual examinations for your pup/kitty are so important. Veterinarians know what to feel and look for (That's what those arduous four years of school taught us). Vets are trained in not only what is abnormal, but even more so in what is normal. That way, when there is something abnormal, we catch it!... even if we don't always know the cause or reason.

Owners can be extremely helpful resources for a veterinarian. Owners often recognize changes in their pets first. A good veterinarian will always listen to their owners about subtle differences they notice, because they may be important.

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Fecal (Stool) Examinations

Regular fecal examinations ensure my dog's health and my family's health aren't compromised. Some dogs/cats can be asymptomatic (silent) carriers of GI parasites that are potentially harmful to humans (Giardia, Hookworms, Roundworms, Etc). Even on good heartworm preventions with dewormers, patients can still obtain GI parasites. That is why checking fecals every year is essential. Let's be honest, GI parasites are just gross!

Heartworm Testing

I am sure you have heard that no medication is 100% effective. The pharmacy companies have data to prove that they aren't and would never make such a bold claim! Even if your pet is on heartworm prevention year round, there is small chance that a heartworm slips by and infects the heart. Annual heartworm testing ensures that your preventative is working, and if it's not, the company (with proof that the heartworm medication was given every month) will often pay for the costly heartworm treatment. So it's always important to check your pets heartworm status annually.

Bloodwork

Ah! Bloodwork is expensive. It's true. I won't deny that bloodwork is costly. However, I reiterate that if I can catch something early and possibly cure it- I want to! Bloodwork allows me to see how my pups' organs are functioning. If there's a mild elevation in an enzyme and I have previous bloodwork that indicates it wasn't there before, I can track it. If it's high the next year, I can intervene. For example, if my pup develops Chronic Kidney Disease, I want to give him/her the best quality and hopefully, longevity of life. The only way to do that is to catch this disease process early. Without bloodwork, I often cannot tell if a patient's kidneys aren't functioning up to par. Early clinical signs are often subtle in these types of disease processes and aren't detected. The same is true for other organs such as the bone marrow, liver, etc.

Urinalysis

Urine samples give us lots of information about how the kidney, bladder, and endocrine systems are functioning. Stoic dogs and cats often times don't show pain or irritation if they have a bladder stone or infection (This is how are animals protected themselves in nature). So if their disease is mild, it's often overlooked until it becomes fuming. Routinely checking urinalysis at annual visits allow us to, again, catch disease processes early when they are possibly curable.

This is why your Woodlands/Spring, TX veterinary clinic recommends these annual checks, and why you should also give them some thought. At your next annual veterinary visit, ask your technician or doctor about each of these tests. Visit Dr. Marvel @ http://www.woodlandstxvet.com

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