Our Roadmap to Lifelong Health at S&S Family Pet Hospital
Our goal is your pet’s well-being and long-term health. We have developed a comprehensive plan, the ‘Roadmap to Lifelong Health and Stress-Free Pet Ownership, to help you keep your pet healthy while ensuring that you won’t have to compromise their health due to finances. Through years of experience and countless encounters with dogs at various life stages, we’ve identified common factors that contribute to the health and happiness of older dogs. These factors, combined with routine preventative care, can help avoid the most common health challenges we see every day. This roadmap is our secret recipe for keeping your pet healthier and you less anxious about their well-being.
S&S Family Pet Hospital represents the next generation of veterinary healthcare. Our core philosophy centers around an 8-step wellness plan, which serves as the cornerstone of our approach.
Step 1 - Achieving and Maintaining the Ideal Body Weight.
This step often receives a few eye rolls, but it’s crucial. We all love our dogs, and sometimes that love translates into overfeeding them. However, food is not equivalent to love. Overfeeding has led to an epidemic of obesity in our pets, which has serious consequences for their health. It saddens us to see overweight dogs because we know the pain and suffering they may experience in their later years. Obesity in dogs can lead to more arthritis, lower energy levels, higher emotional disturbances, and an increased risk of cancer. Discover more about achieving the ideal body weight for your pet through our Fit Dog Quiz. Fun fact – Dogs enjoy affection just as much, or more than they do treats!
Step 2 - Maintaining a Healthy Mouth.
Dental disease has always been a concern in pets, but its impact on overall health is often underestimated. Just like in humans, an infected mouth can cause infections in vital organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. More importantly, dental disease can be a significant source of chronic pain in animals. Pets cannot communicate their dental pain effectively, and sadly, they may continue to eat and drink as if nothing is wrong, even when they are suffering. While a thorough oral examination and dental cleaning require general anesthesia, the relative risk of anesthesia, when performed correctly, is much lower than the risks associated with dental disease and pain. Watch our video to learn more about maintaining a healthy mouth for your pet.
Step 3 - Regular Wellness Exams Preventative medicine is the key to long-term health.
By identifying and addressing problems early on, we can prevent them from developing into severe issues that require extensive treatment. For example, ear infections are a common problem in dogs. Many dogs live with ear infections without displaying clinical signs of pain, such as head shaking or a bad odor. Detecting and treating these infections early requires minimal effort. However, if left untreated for an extended period, they can become a chronic source of pain, take much longer to heal, and cost much more in the long run. This is why we recommend comprehensive examinations twice a year to catch simmering issues and address them early.
Step 4 - Next-Gen Parasiticides.
Many unnecessary visits and antibiotic prescriptions stem from discontinuing flea medications. In San Antonio’s mild climate, fleas can thrive year-round, even during the “winter” months. Many dogs have an allergy called flea allergy dermatitis, which causes itching, dryness, and secondary skin infections. Furthermore, fleas can be vectors for infectious diseases. Like fleas, ticks also thrive year-round in San Antonio’s climate. Ticks are concerning because they carry diseases such as Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, to name a few. We can guide you in selecting the best flea and tick medication for your pet. Additionally, we recommend heartworm medications, not only for heartworm protection but also for their ability to protect against intestinal parasites. This is essential because some of these intestinal parasites can be transmitted to humans.
Step 5 - Annual Bloodwork.
Lab values allow us to see what’s going on inside of your pet. Although we tailor annual bloodwork to each animal’s unique needs, there are generally three primary tests that are performed:
Complete Blood Count (CBC) – This test shows us the numbers of each of your pet’s blood cells – red, white, and platelets.
Chemistry Panel – This test allows us to understand the state of your pet’s organ health, electrolyte balance, endocrine health, blood sugar levels, and more.
Heartworm, Intestinal Parasite, and Tickborne disease testing – No preventive medication is 100% effective, including parasiticides. For this reason, we include testing for these diseases on an annual basis.
The importance of annual blood tests for pets cannot be overstated. This is especially true when it comes to senior pets. Even if your pet looks like they are in top shape for their age, there could be some serious underlying conditions developing that can often only be detected through blood tests. This is one of the best tools we have in preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease.
When your pet is unwell and we need to run a blood test, elevated values may prompt questions about whether they are related to the current problem or a separate issue. Annual lab work helps establish a baseline for your pet’s health. Laboratory information is also crucial to have if your pet ever requires anesthesia, as these lab values help us determine the safety of anesthesia.
Step 6 - Cancer Screening.
Discovering that your pet has cancer is never easy, but early detection can make the conversation more hopeful. If cancer is found early, there are often viable treatment options. Most dogs and cats do not display signs of cancer until it has progressed significantly. We often hear stories of pets appearing completely normal and then suddenly falling gravely ill due to cancer. Semi-annual exams are our best tools for detecting external signs of cancer early. However, for internal cancer, imaging studies and laboratory testing are essential. In addition, we offer NuQ, a breakthrough technology to screen for some of the most prevalent types of cancers, especially lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma.
Step 7 - Pet Insurance reduces stress and helps to alleviate financial burdens.
While advancements in veterinary medicine allow us to provide better care, they can also come with a significant cost. By following the above steps to lifelong health, you can mitigate many common health issues, but there are no guarantees against sickness, injuries, or serious diseases. A quality pet insurance plan, such as Trupanion, can offer peace of mind and ensure your primary concern remains your pet’s health.
Step 8 - PAWSS (Perfectly Affordable Wellness at S&S) Plans
The most common obstacle we encounter when discussing our Roadmap to Lifelong Health is cost. Unlike an insurance plan, which provides protection when things go wrong, our PAWSS plan provides affordable wellness care, which we tailor to your pet’s stage of life. Once enrolled in PAWSS, your pet will receive all the benefits of membership, while allowing you to make affordable monthly payments.
Our PAWSS Wellness Plan Includes:
- Unlimited Wellness and Sick Exams
- Heartworm, tickborne, and intestinal parasite testing
Recommended early disease detection testing, including complete blood count, chemistry panel, urinalysis, and thyroid testing. - Immunizations
- Discount on Proheart heartworm prevention injections
- Microchip and enrollment
These are the key components of our Roadmap to Lifelong Health. While they may seem straightforward, they hold significant power. By following these steps, you’ll provide your beloved pet with the best chance for a long and happy life. While we cannot guarantee that your pet will never face illness, injury, or serious disease, we can minimize preventable problems and effectively manage many diseases before they become overwhelming challenges.