preventive care tips for your new pet

As a pet owner, you want to give your furry friend the best possible start to life, and one of the best ways to do that is with preventive care. At Banfield, we talk about preventive care a lot, and there’s a reason for it — it matters. Preventive care helps support your pet’s wellness journey through every stage of life, from the playful early years to the more laid-back senior ones. 

Here are six tips to establishing a preventive care routine for your new little one.   

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are one of the most important things you can do for your pet because vaccinations help prevent diseases. The best way to treat a disease is for your pet never to get it in the first place. With our Optimum Wellness Plan Early Care, most vaccinations are included in the plan, including distemper/parvo, Bordetella, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, and rabies (as well as all visits for booster vaccines). In other words: We make it super easy for you to get your little cutie vaccinated. We’ll even remind you!

Diagnostic testing for parasites and disease

When you adopt a new pet from a reputable organization or nonprofit, they will typically tell you the status of the pet’s health. For example, they will tell you if the dog you want to adopt is being treated for heartworms and intestinal parasites. Regardless of whether your new friend has a clean bill of health, it’s always a good idea to get them evaluated by their new veterinarian. That means getting diagnostic tests performed to check for heartworm, Lyme disease, Ehrlichia (tick-borne illness), and intestinal parasites. Just a reminder that heartworm, Lyme disease, and Ehrlichia can be serious, even sometimes fatal, if left untreated.

Spaying and neutering 

Having your pet spayed or neutered not only helps prevent pregnancy, it can also help with your pet’s health! For female puppies, spaying can help prevent mammary cancer or uterine infections. And for male puppies, neutering can help prevent testicular cancer and reduce risk of prostate disease. Spaying and neutering also helps reduce sexually transmitted diseases (yes, pets can get them too). 

Nutrition 

Obesity is not uncommon in dogs or cats, and it puts them at higher risk for cardiac, respiratory, and arthritic disease. That’s why it’s a great idea to start them on a path to healthy eating and exercise habits at a young age. We’ve got a slew of helpful diet and nutrition tips over here, but if you need one-on-one help, our Optimum Wellness Plan Early Care Plus includes a Pet Wellness coaching session on nutrition. 

DNA testing

Our puppy Optimum Wellness Plans®️ come with a Wisdom Panel™ canine DNA test that can help detect your dog’s genetic makeup. Why is this important? It can help deepen insights into your pup’s health and improve understanding of their health needs, behaviors, quirks, and temperament. 

Oral care

Your pet’s oral health is super important and can often be overlooked. That’s why we’ve included a yearly professional dental cleaning (including anesthesia) in our Active Care Plus and Special Care plans for both dogs and cats. These plans make it easy for you to stay on top of your pet’s oral health, which can help prevent painful gum disease, tooth loss, and potential heart and kidney issues. 

Congrats on your new addition! Remember, Banfield is always here to help you and your pet, no matter which stage of life your pet is in.