Along with giving your cat lots of love and attention as well as the necessary at-home care, you will need to bring them in for routine veterinary visits. Today, our Thornton and Denver vets at Caring Hands Veterinary Hospital talk about how often you should be bringing your cat to our animal hospital for routine care at each stage in their life.
So when should you take your cat to the vet for a checkup?
Routine veterinary care is a crucial part of ensuring your cat's lifelong health and happiness. When you bring your cat to the vet you allow the opportunity to monitor your kitty's overall well-being and physical health, watch for the earliest signs of disease, and offer recommendations for the preventive care products that would suit your feline friend best.
At our Thornton and Denver animal hospital, our vets understand that the potential cost of routine checkups and preventive care can be a concern, especially if your feline friend seems to be in perfect health. With these routine exams, we can help you avoid the cost of more expensive visits later on to treat serious conditions that could have been spotted earlier with a wellness exam.
Cat Checkups at Caring Hands Veterinary Hospital
Routine wellness exams are essentially a veterinary physical checkup for your cat. The frequency with which your cat should visit the vet will depend on a number of factors including their health, age, and lifestyle.
So how often do you take a cat to the vet? We typically recommend annual wellness exams for healthy adult cats, but kittens, senior cats, and kitties with underlying health conditions should see their vet more frequently for an examination.
When should you bring your kitten to the vet?
If you have recently added a new kitten tp your family you should prepare to bring them in each month until they reach a year old.
Throughout their first year, kittens need multiple rounds of vaccinations to help protect them from common infectious diseases. Kittens should get the Feline Leukemia vaccine and the FVRCP vaccine which helps protect your feline friend from three highly contagious and life-threatening feline diseases, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FHV-1) Feline Calicivirus (FCV), and Feline Panleukopenia (FPL).
Over the first 16 weeks of your kitten's life, they will receive these vaccinations. This will help provide them with a solid foundation for lifelong protection against various diseases.
Speak with your vet at Caring Hands Veterinary Hospital in Thornton to determine the right well ness exam schedule for your new friend.
Our vets recommend having your kitten spayed or neutered when they are between five and six months old in order to prevent a host of diseases and undesirable behaviors as well as unwanted litters of kittens.
When does a healthy adult cat need a vet checkup?
If you have a healthy adult cat, your vet will likely recommend bringing them once each year for a full examination. Your vet will check over your cat, and perform any necessary diagnostics, dental care, or testing needed.
Throughout your adult cat's routine exam, your vet will implement a head-to-tail examination to look for early signs of diseases or other issues, such as parasites, joint pain, or tooth decay.
Your veterinarian will also provide your kitty with any required vaccines or booster shots, and have a conversation with you about your cat's diet and nutritional requirements, as well as recommend the appropriate parasite protection products.
If your vet happens to spot any concerns they will share their findings and offer their recommendations on the next steps.
When do you need to bring your senior cat to visit the vet?
Once your cat reaches 11 years of age, they will be considered a senior cat and should begin to receive care that focuses on preventive age-related issues and conditions.
In order to do this, your vet will likely suggest that you bring your cat in every six months. Twice-yearly wellness check-ups for your geriatric cat will include all of the checks and advice listed above, but with a few additional diagnostic tests to obtain extra insights into your furry friend's overall health.
Some diagnostic tests we recommend for our senior patients include blood tests and urinalysis to check for early signs of problems such as kidney disease or diabetes.
Geriatric care for cats also includes a more proactive approach to keeping your feline companion comfortable as age-related issues such as joint pain become more common. If you have a senior cat, ask your vet how often you should bring your pet in for a routine exam.
Why should you bring your cat to our Thornton and Denver animal hospital?
The frequency that you will need to bring your cat to the vet will depend on many different factors. This can include their age and health concerns.
Ultimately, following the advice of your vet can help to ensure that all of your cat's needs are being met. Routine care at Caring Hands Veterinary Hospital will be a vital part of keeping your feline friends safe and healthy while allowing your vet to monitor them for any potential conditions and issues that may arise.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.