At Times Your Pet May Need Preventive Care

1. At Times Your Pet May Need Preventive Care True animal lovers adore their cats, their dogs and whatever pet they form a strong bond with. These animals are often treated like another valued and cherished family member. Therefore they are given a safe place to live and to play, and owners look at their diets – and the medical care they are entitled to. When our pets are sick, we feel unhappy and we hurt. So we take them for treatment to the vet. A good vet offers a range of tests and treatments to ensure your pet’s ongoing good health, right from administering regular vaccinations to spaying and neutering, dental care and teeth cleaning, ear cropping services and a whole host of other services and attention your pet is entitled to. But, more than offering them medical care when they are sick or injured during a fight or some other emergency, we also take every precaution to make sure they stay out of harm’s way. A good example is to take them for regular checkups to the vet for wellness tests to establish if they may be suffering from ailments that we are unaware of, and then to ensure that preventive administered should there be signs that they may be suffering from – or will in future – certain conditions. treatment is This is done by the vet that takes blood and have it analyzed, or urine samples, or various other methods that are employed to make sure your pet is in good health. One such procedure is the PennHip evaluation for dysplasia in dogs. It is also referred to as Canine Hip Dysplasia, which is a heritable disease that, unfortunately, impacts dogs’ movement, for example, negatively. It is the result of faulty hip development and affects millions of dogs world-wide negatively, whether these animals are mere pets, working dogs or animals used for breeding. This faulty development of the hips causes excessive joint cartilage degeneration. It leads to excessive hip joint laxity and is the cause of osteoarthritis and stiffness in joints, often limiting the animal’s ability to move properly. It is painful and emotionally draining on the dog – and its owner. What is good to know is that the PennHip evaluation can be performed on young dogs, as young as sixteen weeks of age. A good veterinarian establishes whether dysplasia is present or could develop, by employing diagnostic radiographic methodologies to measure hip laxity, the major cause of degenerative hip conditions in dogs in later life. When a dog as young as, for example, sixteen weeks receives the PennHip test, it gives owners and breeders a good idea whether or not this animal can one day be used for breeding, or to perform as a working dog so that responsible decisions, such as removing them from the breeding stock or working group, can be taken well in advance of the dog reaching that age where they may be ready to breed or be used in the field. Fortunately, good veterinarians are able to perform certain procedures to help prevent osteoarthritis in the hip – if detected early. This means it is important to have this test done as early as possible, such as at sixteen weeks of age. A fairly straight-forward procedure called JPS (Juvenile Pubic Symphodiesis) can be performed by leading veterinarians such as, say, Greeley, CO based Powell Veterinary Services and other qualified animal clinics.

2. Similar to the PennHip is the OFA test to certify dogs’ hips which, unfortunately, can only be done when the dog is older. Therefore the PennHip Procedure is widely promoted to establish whether dogs will be candidates for the development of hip dysplasia, so that corrective measure can be put in place – early enough. PennHip and OFA are two ways of preventive medical care. Since hip dysplasia can affect up to, roughly, 50% of dogs, you may be doing your dog, and yourself, a favor by taking it to a good vet for the test – early on. About Us At Powell Veterinary Service we offer all pet owners almost 30 years of dedicated, unrivalled service to ensure their pets remain healthy and happy. We offer great experience and are proud of the services we offer regarding all aspects of animal care. We perform surgeries, we spay and neuter, we offer boarding facilities, and we provide puppies for different activities that appeal to our clients. At PVS we also offer a wellness service for pets to ensure any conditions are picked up early. We are Kersey, CO based and serve the surrounding areas. We are available by appointment, but also for emergency situations. Pets are our passion, and we ensure that your animal receives excellent treatment from our practice. For more about us please visit https://powellvets.com/.