Pet Wellness & Preventive Care For Dogs and Cats
Annual checkups and vaccinations are essential to keeping up with your pet’s health and making sure he or she is protected from avoidable diseases and parasites. At Blue Ridge Animal Hospital, we start every new patient out with a thorough nose-to-tail wellness exam, and will recommend that your pet come back for checkups at least annually. Puppies and kittens and especially senior pets may need to come in more frequently.
Based on what we learn about your pet’s health, lifestyle, and environment from the initial exam, our veterinarians will design a program of vaccines and parasite preventatives custom-tailored to address your dog's or cat's unique needs and risk factors. Subsequent wellness checkups will be our opportunity to monitor any changes in your pet’s health and adjust our approach accordingly.
Wellness exams will also include discussion of proper pet nutrition, behavioral concerns, dental care, home care routines, and just about anything under the sun. Our goal is to get to know you and your pet personally so that we may provide the most effective care possible. Prevention is the key to lifelong wellness, which is why regular checkups are so important!
Pet Behavior & Nutritional Services for Bedford Dogs and Cats
The veterinarians of Blue Ridge Animal Hospital emphasize pet wellness and yearly examinations for all cats and dogs. But the real preventive care for your pet begins before he or she even enters our office. We expect to see your dog or cat for a check-up just 1 day out of the year, so it’s the decisions you make as an owner that will really matter for the other 364!
Nutrition: A Cornerstone of Your Pet’s Health
We know all know how it feels to miss a meal because you had an extremely busy workday, and are all too familiar with the crash in energy that can follow "just one more" slice of cake or pizza. Everyone—your pet included—loves to indulge now and then. But moderation is key. Just as its affects are noticeable in your own body, sustained good nutrition will make a world of difference in your pet’s energy levels, mood, basic bodily functions, and overall wellness.
Since your pet can’t prepare his or her own meals in the way you can, it is vitally important for you as an owner to make sure the foods and treats you’re choosing for your dog or cat are appropriate. Considering your pet’s age, lifestyle/activity level, and existing health conditions, our veterinarians will make nutritional recommendations to help your pet reach optimum wellness.
Certain factors such as obesity, diabetes, digestive issues, or the unique nutritional requirements of a pet in seniority, may call for a therapeutic change in diet. We carry the full line of Royal Canin pet foods, with options for special diets and day-to-day nutrition alike. Nutrition can even play a role in dental care, as many of our own staff pets enjoy Royal Canine Dental Diet which can reduce cases of gingivitis by up to 28%!
Behavioral Consultation
Are you having difficulty housebreaking a new puppy or kitten? Are overly aggressive or territorial behaviors in your dog causing damage to your home or presenting a safety hazard to the neighborhood? Many factors, from the presence of other animals in your home to physical environment to the natural disposition of your pet’s specific breed will play into behavior patterns.
Whether you need a solution or just some guidance on what it takes to train your animal, our veterinarians can answer your questions and provide just the advice you need. We are also able to refer to behaviorists and obedience trainers when appropriate.
Schedule your pet’s next appointment with us today, and always feel free to give us a call if you have any questions whatsoever about your pet’s health, nutrition, or behavior.