Annual diagnostic and wellness testing once your pet reaches 5-7 years of age can help reassure you that your dog or cat is healthy and help us detect hidden diseases or conditions early. Early detection can improve the prognosis of many diseases, keep medical costs down, and help your pet live longer. Many dogs and cats are good at hiding signs that something is wrong, so subtle changes in their health or behavior might be easy to overlook. And, depending on the disease, some pets don’t even show any symptoms.
Dogs and cats age quicker than humans, so it is even more crucial that companion animals receive regular wellness testing which could include blood, urine and fecal testing. In addition, the risks of arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hormone disorders, and kidney and liver problems all increase with age.