A Pet Owner’s Guide to Common Veterinary Procedures

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Veterinary Procedures

If you are an owner of a cat or a dog or any other type of pet, you must be experiencing firsthand the joy these animals bring to your life.  Also, you would be familiar with going to the vet. Any health concerns that we have with our pets can be taken care of by our local veterinarian

We are lucky that we have specialists that take care of our fur babies. Our pets and their health directly affect ours because pet sicknesses can also affect us, humans. We can also go to the vet to keep everyone safe. But what exactly are the veterinary procedures that we can get for our pets? 

Let us delve into some of the common veterinary procedures for your pets. If you are unsure which ones your pet should get, this guide will surely be able to help! 

Pet Vaccinations 

The most common veterinary procedures that pet owners ask for when going to the veterinarian are usually pet vaccinations. This is particularly important for puppies and kittens. They would have to go through a series of vaccinations during their first few months with you. This will help keep them safe from any life-threatening disease and will help prevent them from passing the disease on to humans as well. 

Puppy Vaccinations

Puppies usually get a distemper and parvovirus vaccine as their first vaccine. The next couple of ones are DHPP vaccines which are distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus vaccine in one shot. 

Once they reach 16-18 weeks they will add a rabies shot to the DHPP vaccines. Your puppy should have 4 rounds of shots before they are fully safe and ready to socialize and explore with other dogs outside. 

It is recommended to get the DHPP vaccine every 1-2 years as a booster and it is required by law that your puppy should get a rabies vaccine every 1-3 years. 

Kitten Vaccinations

Young kittens are also susceptible to life-threatening diseases. They also have a similar schedule as puppies. However, they have a different set of vaccines because kittens have different diseases compared to puppies. These are vaccines against: 

  • FVCRP – protects against feline calcivirus, feine viral rhinotracheitis and feline panleukopenia 
  • FeLV – feline leukemia virus
  • Rabies 

During the first 6-12 weeks of a kitten, they should get 2 rounds of FVCRP with an optional FELV vaccine, which is highly recommended. And by the time they are 16 weeks, they should get a round of FVCRP and rabies vaccines. After that, they are required to get FVCRP and rabies boosters. A yearly rabies booster is required by law. 

Dental Issues

Pet dental problems need to be attended to immediately and with utmost care so that our fur babies get well, and we have peace of mind.  Plaque buildup is one issue that almost all pet owners are familiar with.  Regular brushing and a good dental hygiene is of utmost importance to keep this problem at bay.  

There are various health products in the market nowadays to treat this issue. However, we must exercise caution in choosing a product that’s authentic, is backed by science, and is able to provide relief.  Choose carefully from a wide range of helpful healthy and safe veterinary dental products that you can provide the much needed relief from dental issues for your pets. 

It is common for humans to go for regular dental cleanings. We have to get these for our health because if we don’t we can get cavities, gum disease, or even rotting teeth! But our pets have teeth just like us! 

If our pets don’t get dental cleanings they can also get similar gum diseases, and cavities and their teeth may rot as well. For your pet’s dental cleaning they will have to undergo general anesthesia. Pets may move around a lot when your vet tries to do a dental examination and cleaning which is why they take this extra precaution. 

Apart from the anesthesia, the dental process of pets and humans is the same. They would undergo teeth scaling to remove tartar and disease-causing plaque. Teeth polishing is then done to remove microscopic scratches on the teeth. If these scratches remain, it will be easy for tartar and plaque to develop as bacteria may get caught in them.  Your vet may also use a barrier sealant on your pet’s teeth for additional protection.

For additional care and plaque prevention, you may also get dental chews. These work well as treats for your pet as well. 

Pet Nutrition 

Pets also need vitamins and minerals in their diet. They need to have balanced portions of fat, carbohydrates, and proteins in their daily intake. Your vet is the best person to ask about what your pet needs. Pets of a certain age, weight, and breed all have different needs. Your vet will be well-versed about which diet your pet should have. 

You may also get blood tests to determine if your pet has a vitamin deficiency. If the tests show that your pets lack a specific vitamin or mineral, your vet may prescribe you a supplement. 

Parasite, Tick and Flea Prevention 

Your veterinarian can also take care of any parasites, ticks, or fleas that your dog may have. Not getting these treated will cause discomfort to your pet and put them at risk for tick-borne parasites.  

It is best to get preventative measures to avoid these altogether. Your pets may get oral medication or vaccinations from your veterinarian for the same. 

Spaying and Neutering 

Pet owners opt to get their pets neutered in order to prevent the overpopulation of pets in their homes. This is particular to those with multiple dogs or cats in the house. A spay is done on a female pet where the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus are removed from the pet. Neuter is done to a male pet where its testes are removed. 

Getting your dog surgically sterilized not only helps overpopulation but can also reducebreeding behavior. Your female pet’s heat cycle will no longer be a problem if you find it tedious. 

Spaying and neutering of pets also provides prevention of some diseases. For female pets, you can prevent uterine or breast cancers. For male pets, you tigate the risk of an englarged prostate  and testicular cancer. 

Conclusion

Your pet’s veterinarian can help you with all things regarding yoru pet’s health. It is important to take care of your pet’s health as much as yours since their health can affect yours too . Keeping your pet healthy should be part of your daily routine as a responsible pet owner. We hope our article helped you in getting familiar with the various common veterinary procedures that you can get for your pet!