Unhealthy Pets? | Downtown Animal Care Center

Some folks would like us to believe that you, the average pet-owner, don?t care about keeping your pet healthy. We at the Downtown Animal Care Center don?t believe this at all. We?ll tell you why, but first, some background information as to why that claim is being made in the first place.

Sometimes we all run into one of these kinds of questions?It?s a bit like the chicken or the egg issue. Which came first? That situation arose recently during the 2011 American Veterinary Medical Association Convention last month. According to a release issued during the convention, our pets are less healthy than ever before.

Your vet is your friend!

Some might see this as a natural result of pet-owners becoming less healthy. Others noted that there has been a significant increase in the pet population over the past ten years, while other lamented the economy keeping families from regularly taking their pets to their local veterinary clinic. Here are a few numbers to consider: (all statistics from the AVMA)

? More flea infestations are being reported
? Internal parasites are up 13% in cats, 30% in dogs (this is a problem as some of the parasites can also affect people)
? Diabetes is up 16% in cats, 32% in dogs
? Ear infections are up 34% in cats, 9% in dogs
? Dental disease is up 10% in cats, 12% in dogs

What has vets scratching their heads is that over the past ten years, veterinary medicine has made huge strides in the quality of pet care. The technology is light years ahead of where it was a decade ago, the experience and training of veterinarians is higher today and pets are actually living longer due to new procedures to battle cancer, heart disease and other formerly fatal illnesses.

So what?s the problem? To quote a ten-year old political catchphrase??It?s the economy, stupid.?

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, ?People simply aren?t seeing their veterinarians as often, particularly for wellness exams.? The AVMA study showed that cat visits to veterinary clinics is down 30% since 2006 while dog visits are down 21%. During that same time span, visits to online veterinary services has increased exponentially.

The study concluded that pet-owners are caring less about preventative health and investing less time and money in the overall health of their pet, outside of emergency care, that is. For some, at least 15% according to the study, the advent of online vet services means they only take their pet to a vet in an emergency. And oddly, those most clever of pets, the cat, seems to be the ones suffering the most by this downturn in veterinary visits.

Currently in the U.S. there are thirteen-percent more cats than dogs, but dogs make up the majority of patients in most practices. Here at DACC, we can certainly back this up. While we do get our share of wonderful kitties, it?s the dogs that fill our waiting room and clinic offices most days.

We get it, taking a cat to the vet can be stressful, and not just for the cat, but for the pet-owner as well. According to the AVMA, nearly 60% say their cats ?hate? going to a vet. Plus, more and more people keep their cats indoors. While this is a good thing in terms of fighting pet overpopulation, it also leads many to think that indoor-cats don?t get sick as much as outdoor cats. Wrong. Indoor cats can become sick from any variety of diseases (notably heart disease from a lack of exercise or diet, gum disease, etc.), and are just as susceptible to injuries.

For many, it?s a matter of simply waiting until the pet gets sick to make a trip to the vet. This is a mistake. Cats in particular are very good at masking illnesses and waiting until symptoms become evident might mean a disease has progressed beyond a quick, affordable treatment. Wellness exams in pets, just like with people, can catch a lot of problems early on before the illness causes too much damage. Simply put, early-diagnoses can save time, money and lives. Shockingly, thought, the study revealed that ?nearly half of all pet owners didn?t believe regular wellness exams were important?.

Of course, the slumping economy has had an impact as well. Let?s face it, medical bills, whether for people or pets can be expensive. This is particularly a problem when families are just trying to make ends meet. Here is where we toot our own horn for a second. Because the Downtown Animal Care Center was created specifically with this in mind. Our policy, our reason for existence is to make sure that every pet receives quality health care and treatment, regardless of the cost. We offer the lowest prices in Denver across the board. Our regular wellness exams, our vaccinations, our spay and neuter program, even our surgeries are priced so every pet owner has access to quality veterinary care for their pet.

Couple that with top notch facilities, the most experienced and caring vets in the city, and we believe the DACC is perfect for all pet owners looking for an affordable, quality veterinary experience.

In the end, it is vital that folks remember that regular visits to your vet, regardless of who it is, is important to keeping your pet healthy, happy and a loving part of your family for years to come. You may be able to get a quick diagnoses from an online vet service, but ultimately its your local vet that will be able to give you the informed, comprehensive and timely information you need to make sure your pet stays healthy.

Only a vet can give you a heads up about dietary needs for your pet, medicinal information and provide the kind of diagnoses that applies specifically to your unique pet. So what are you waiting for? Don?t wait until your cat or dog starts to show signs of an illness. Get out there and make an appointment with your vet (hopefully the Downtown Animal Care Center).

It won?t cost you an arm and a leg, it will only take a few minutes every six months, and in the long run, you?ll have the peace of mind that your pet is healthy and happy. Plus, if you DO find anything wrong, you?ll have caught the problem early on, saving you a lot of time, money and heartbreak down the road. It just makes sense. And, of course, your pet will love you for it!

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