Advice for new pet owners

It seems apparent that your furry members of the family require the same level of precautionary attention as humans.

Regular medical checks, beginning as early as one week after birth, can help keep their newborns healthy and safe, assuring every worried new parent. According to Alea Harrison, DVM, vice president of veterinary quality at Banfield Pet Hospital, if you're one among the 23 million individuals who acquired a pet during the pandemic, you might not understand that preventative treatment is just as important for furry family members as it is for human ones.

Regular wellness checks and adequate at-home care will help you save money while also keeping your pet healthy. “New pet owners aren’t always fully aware of the cost of raising and caring for pets,” However, as Harrison points out, emergencies may be costly. According to a recent poll conducted by Banfield, which manages a nationwide network of veterinary clinics, current dog and cat owners spend between $45,000 and $55,000 on care throughout the course of their pet's lifespan. “Removing a single diseased tooth can be three times more expensive than a professional dental cleaning and 25 times more expensive than monthly at-home dental care,” she says.

We consulted Harrison for tips on how new—and seasoned—pet owners may safeguard their dogs while also protecting their wallets.

Be proactive to help avoid disease.

“It’s important to focus on preventive care to prevent diseases,” says Harrison, and “to make sure we have early detection or diagnosis.” Three key ways to do that:

• Stay up on vaccinations. The first step, according to Harrison, is to ensure that your companion is vaccinated. “Vaccines can truly help protect against preventable diseases that have serious implications on their long-term health.” She emphasizes the necessity of communicating with your pet's veterinarian to ensure that your cat or dog is receiving the best possible care. The most popular immunizations, therefore, are rabies, feline leukemia, and Lyme disease.
• Pay attention to dental care. According to Harrsion, 85 percent of mature dogs and 80 percent of mature cats (ages three to ten) who attended a Banfield Pet Hospital in the previous year showed symptoms of dental illness. But, with normal care such as yearly professional cleanings and at-home maintenance (yes, you should brush your dog's teeth! ), pet owners may actually prevent these dental health concerns. Consult your veterinarian about the best pet care schedule. Keep an eye out for illness symptoms as well. “Some people tolerate bad breath because it’s their beloved pet,” Harrison says. “But it can be a sign of progressing disease.” If your dog or cat has an unpleasant smell, check for other red flags like excessive drooling, oral pain, bleeding, and a reluctance to drink. “Oral health issues are one of the most common diagnoses that Banfield sees in dogs and cats,” she says.
• Guard against parasites. Parasites including heartworm, fleas, and tapeworms should also be avoided. According to Harrison, heartworm illness is transmitted to dogs and cats by mosquito bites and can be deadly. Banfield has observed an upsurge of cats diagnosed with this disease over the last ten years, and there is presently no safe method for elimination. “It’s so important to make sure we are preventing this disease,” Harrison says. A monthly oral pill, an ointment, or an injection can all be used to prevent the disease.

Plan a regular care schedule and stick to it.

Just like you should schedule frequent checks for yourself, your pet should undergo the same. “It’s important that they get twice-yearly comprehensive exams,” Harrison says. Internal and external parasite screens, deworming, bowel examinations, immunizations, and dental cleanings should all be included in these appointments. She recommends developing a plan with your pet's care workers to completely optimize what your pet will need.

“There are also ways in which owners can have questions or concerns answered without taking a trip to the vet,” Harrison is referring to services like Banfield's Vet Chat, a telemedicine program that links pet owners with veterinarians 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Vet Chat is not a replacement for in-person veterinary services or treatments, because we can’t diagnose, treat, or fill prescriptions, but it provides owners with real-time insight and advice to help decide whether your pet needs to be seen,” she says.

Consider a pet wellness plan—it can be a life and money saver.

In some respects, health plans differ from traditional pet insurance. “Insurance helps cover unforeseen aspects of pet ownership,” Harrison says. “You can be reimbursed for things like accidents or emergency visits, injuries, surgeries, and in some instances, hospital stay and medications.” There are a variety of coverage and pricing levels. Health plans, on the contrary front, are not even insurance, but they might help you finance treatment and stick to a consistent routine. “They’re customizable packages of preventive services like comprehensive exams, blood work, and dental cleanings,” Harrison says. “Most people don’t find out about insurance and wellness plans until after they need them.” As an example, she uses parvovirus, a highly contagious intestinal illness in dogs, and its several protocols: The treatment costs of the virus are 24 times that of merely avoiding it with a vaccination, which you can keep up with a health plan. “It’s just so important for pet owners to understand that prioritizing their pet preventive care is not only good for the pet’s health—it can also save them a lot of money in the long run.”