preventive care for your adult dog or cat

At Banfield, we’re all about preventive care — but what does that really mean? Preventive care is essentially medical attention that helps prevent health problems. Instead of waiting for pets to get sick and then providing care (which can worsen illness and increase costs), it’s about supporting health and monitoring for signs of potential problems before they happen.

We’ll talk about what preventive care for an adult dog or cat looks like, along with how our Optimum Wellness Plans^®️ can help.

Comprehensive exams are key

Adult dogs and cats should go to the vet at least twice a year for a comprehensive exam.

And when we say “comprehensive,” we really mean it! These typically include ear, eye, rectal, and oral exams; neurological, cardiovascular, urogenital, musculoskeletal, pulmonary/lung, and abdominal evaluations; weight and nutrition advice; and a coat and skin check.

Diagnostic testing for adult dogs and cats

Diagnostic testing is also essential to preventive care because it gives us a better picture as to what’s going on inside your pet’s body. Here’s what we recommend (and how often) for adult dogs and cats, but keep in mind that certain problems or chronic conditions might require additional or more frequent testing.

Recommended testing for adult dogs:

• Fecal testing for parasites: two times a year 
• Tick-borne disease: annually 
• Heartworm: annually 
• Complete blood count: annually 
• Chemistry panel: annually 
• Urinalysis: annually

Recommended testing for adult cats:

• Fecal testing for parasites: two times a year 
• Complete blood count: annually 
• Serum biochemistry panel: annually 
• Urinalysis: annually 
• Blood pressure: annually

Do adult dogs and cats need vaccinations and parasite control?

Yes! Vaccinations and parasite control are a huge part of preventive veterinary care since it's challenging to prevent disease in creatures that like to explore everything on the ground with their nose and tongue.

We recommend most adult dogs receive distemper/parvo, Bordetella, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, and rabies vaccines. And we recommend most adult cats receive feline leukemia, feline distemper, and rabies vaccines. Talk to your vet to see exactly which ones they recommend based on your pet’s current lifestyle and location.

Parasite control is also super important for adult dogs and cats. Make sure to continue administering flea, parasite, and tick prevention even if your adult pet is mainly indoors.

Our Optimum Wellness Plans bundle your petcare

Optimum Wellness Plans are smart, budget-friendly packages of preventive care services. Each one is designed to deliver routinely recommended comprehensive exams, vaccines, and more. For an overview of how Optimum Wellness Plans work, watch this helpful video.

Our baseline package for adult dogs is called Active Care. Here’s everything that’s included:

Unlimited office visits 

Office visit fees are included in your pet’s package. 

Two virtual visits 

Perfect for rechecks and follow-ups with your vet from the comfort of your home. 

24/7 medical advice with Pet Chat™ 

Get petcare advice from a veterinary professional — whether it’s 3 a.m. or 3 p.m. 

Pet Wellness coaching session on nutrition 

How much food should I feed my dog? How do I read this pet food nutrition label? A trained advisor will answer your questions on diet and nutrition.  

Comprehensive exams for nose-to-tail wellness 

Includes ear, eye, rectal, and oral exams; neurological, cardiovascular, urogenital, musculoskeletal, pulmonary/lung, and abdominal evaluations; weight and nutrition advice; and coat and skin check. 

Routinely recommended vaccinations (based on your pet’s vaccination schedule) 

Includes distemper/parvo (1x/year), Bordetella (2x/year), leptospirosis (1x/year),Lyme disease (1x/year), and rabies (1x/year). 

Diagnostic testing to help catch early signs of parasites and disease 

Includes internal organ screens and testing for heartworm, mites, and tick-borne diseases like Lyme and Ehrlichia. Plus, blood work with complete blood count to check for any signs of infection, anemia, and blood-clotting issues, as well as a chemistry panel to detect proper nutrient absorption, diabetes, liver and kidney function, and calcium/phosphorous levels for bone health. 

Fecal exams to help detect worms, parasites, and other health issues. 

Deworming meds to help routinely eliminate roundworms, hookworms, and other organisms. 

10% discount on most other Banfield products and veterinary services.

We also offer an Active Care Plus plan for dogs. This includes all the Active Care services plus the following:

Professional dental cleaning under anesthesia to get your pet’s healthy teeth habits off to a good start. Includes cleaning and descaling above and below the gum line to help remove tartar, manage stinky breath, and prevent gum disease and infection. 

Urine test to help detect dehydration, infections, and disease. 

15% discount on most other Banfield products and veterinary services.

And if your dog has a chronic illness or is a breed that benefits from additional testing, a Special Care plan might be ideal. This plan includes all the services in Active Care Plus, with additional diagnostic tests, exams, and X-rays.

Visit this page for full details and to begin the enrollment process for your dog.

We also have a baseline Active Care package for adult cats, which includes:

Unlimited office visits 

Office visit fees are included in your pet’s package. 

Two virtual visits 

Perfect for rechecks and follow-ups with your vet from the comfort of your home. 

24/7 medical advice with Pet Chat™ 

Get peace of mind from a veterinary professional — whether it’s 3 a.m. or 3 p.m. 

Pet Wellness coaching session on nutrition 

How much food should I feed my cat? How do I read this pet food nutrition label? A trained advisor will answer your questions on diet and nutrition. 

Comprehensive exams for nose-to-tail wellness 

Includes ear, eye, rectal, and oral exams; neurological, cardiovascular, urogenital, musculoskeletal, pulmonary/lung, and abdominal evaluations; weight and nutrition advice; and coat and skin check. 

Routinely recommended vaccinations (based on your pet’s vaccination schedule) 

Includes feline leukemia (1x/year), feline distemper (1x/year), and rabies (1x/year). 

Diagnostic testing to help catch early signs of parasites and disease 

Includes internal organ screens and testing for heartworm, mites, feline leukemia, and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Plus, blood work with complete blood count to check for any signs of infection, anemia, and blood-clotting issues, as well as a chemistry panel to detect proper nutrient absorption, diabetes, liver and kidney function, and calcium/phosphorous levels for bone health. 

Fecal exams to help detect worms, parasites, and other health issues. 

Deworming meds to help routinely eliminate roundworms, hookworms, and other organisms. 

10% discount on most other Banfield products and veterinary services.

We also offer an Active Care Plus plan for cats. This includes all the Active Care services, plus the following: 

Professional dental cleaning under anesthesia to get your pet’s healthy teeth habits off to a good start. Includes cleaning and descaling above and below the gum line to help remove tartar, manage stinky breath, and prevent gum disease and infection. 

Urine test to help detect dehydration, infections, and disease. 

15% discount on most other Banfield products and veterinary services.

And if your cat has a chronic illness, a Special Care plan might be ideal. This plan includes all the services in Active Care Plus, with additional diagnostic testing and X-rays.

Visit this page for full details and to begin the enrollment process for your cat.

Preventive dental care is paramount

Did you know that most dogs and cats have some degree of dental disease before age 3? Yikes! That’s why performing regular oral care at home and scheduling a dental cleaning at your pet’s veterinary hospital is super important.

Luckily, we include a professional cat or dog dental cleaning in our Active Care Plus packages.  Not only can poor oral health give your pet bad breath, but it can also cause full-blown gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss, bacterial infections, and pain.

Ready to sign up for a budget-friendly Optimum Wellness Plan? Start your pet’s enrollment here.

For a step-by-step overview of how pet dental cleanings can help prevent disease, tooth loss, and infection, watch our video on professional dental cleanings.

For more info on why early preventive dental care matters, check out this blog.