{"id":4732,"date":"2026-09-01T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/?p=4732"},"modified":"2026-08-28T18:29:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T18:29:46","slug":"les-soins-preventifs-bien-plus-quun-simple-examen-de-sante-annuel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/les-soins-preventifs-bien-plus-quun-simple-examen-de-sante-annuel\/","title":{"rendered":"Preventive care: Much more than just an annual wellness exam"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><em>By Dr. Rebecca De Arburn Parent, DVM<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Preventive care protects your dog or cat's health long before visible symptoms appear. During a comprehensive annual physical exam, the veterinarian evaluates all body systems: weight, muscle condition, dentition, cardiovascular health, lungs, joints, skin, eyes, and ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pets age much faster than humans: twelve months represent a major life stage milestone, especially for senior pets. Regular medical follow-ups detect silent conditions (early kidney disease, osteoarthritis, heart murmurs, masses) and allow for early intervention to maintain comfort and longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:28px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>Why visit a veterinarian if my pet appears completely healthy?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dogs and cats instinctively mask pain and adapt gradually to physical discomfort. Subtle changes (slight vision loss, difficulty chewing, reluctance to jump) are often mistakenly attributed to personality changes or normal aging.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The annual wellness exam establishes an essential baseline: it enables precise tracking of weight trends, muscle mass, and mobility from year to year to identify meaningful health shifts that go unnoticed day-to-day.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>How does aging work in dogs and cats?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The popular rule stating that one animal year equals seven human years is an oversimplification. The rate of aging depends on several variables:<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"translation-block\"><strong>Large-breed dogs:<\/strong> Reach senior status earlier (starting around 6 to 7 years of age) due to rapid growth rates and increased joint wear.<\/li>\n<li class=\"translation-block\"><strong>Small-breed dogs and cats:<\/strong> Typically become seniors around 8 to 10 years of age, often developing internal metabolic changes that remain asymptomatic for long periods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Waiting several years between veterinary visits for an older pet is equivalent to spacing out human medical checkups by several decades.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>What does the veterinarian evaluate during a routine examination?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The physical examination methodically covers all anatomical systems and vital parameters:<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Body system<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Evaluated elements<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>General &amp; morphology<\/strong><\/td><td>Weight, body condition score (BCS), muscle condition score (MCS), core temperature.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Cardiorespiratory<\/strong><\/td><td>Cardiac auscultation (murmurs, arrhythmias) and lung sounds.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Oral cavity &amp; teeth<\/strong><\/td><td>Calculus, gingivitis, tooth resorption lesions, abscesses, and oral masses.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Musculoskeletal<\/strong><\/td><td>Joint palpation, range of motion, gait analysis, back pain, or osteoarthritis.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Dermatology<\/strong><\/td><td>Skin, coat quality, external parasites, subcutaneous nodules, or masses.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Abdomen<\/strong><\/td><td>Palpation of accessible internal abdominal organs and peripheral lymph nodes.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>Why perform preventive blood and urine screening tests?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A physical exam alone cannot evaluate the biochemical function of internal organs. Preventive laboratory screenings offer essential medical benefits:<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"translation-block\"><strong>Early detection:<\/strong> Uncovers kidney disease, liver dysfunction, or diabetes well before clinical signs develop.<\/li>\n<li class=\"translation-block\"><strong>Baseline establishment:<\/strong> Defines your pet's individual \"normal\" laboratory values to compare against future test results.<\/li>\n<li class=\"translation-block\"><strong>Therapeutic monitoring:<\/strong> Confirms organ safety before and during long-term chronic treatments or anti-inflammatory therapies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>Why do senior pets require checkups every six months?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In aging pets, health status can change rapidly. Semi-annual examinations allow for proactive adjustments across critical areas:<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Multimodal osteoarthritis management and mobility preservation;<\/li>\n<li>Detection of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (disorientation, night pacing);<\/li>\n<li>Blood pressure monitoring and progressive kidney tracking;<\/li>\n<li>Nutritional adjustments tailored to muscle loss and senior metabolic needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>What warning signs at home require veterinary attention between checkups?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do not wait for the annual wellness visit if you notice any of the following changes:<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increased water consumption (polydipsia) or increased frequency of urination (polyuria);<\/li>\n<li>Unexplained weight loss or gain, or persistent appetite reduction;<\/li>\n<li>Noticeable bad breath or difficulty chewing dry food;<\/li>\n<li>Reluctance to climb stairs, hesitation jumping onto furniture, or stiffness upon standing;<\/li>\n<li>Development of a new skin lump or changes in an existing nodule;<\/li>\n<li>Behavioral changes, unusual irritability, or decreased energy levels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key takeaways<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Annual wellness examinations evaluate every organ system and establish critical baseline benchmarks.<\/li>\n<li>Dogs and cats naturally mask discomfort: slowing down is often a sign of pain, not simply \"old age.\"<\/li>\n<li>Preventive blood and urine screenings detect metabolic conditions during their silent early stages.<\/li>\n<li>Semi-annual examinations are strongly recommended to maintain comfort and vitality in senior pets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Preventive wellness care at Velvet Sant\u00e9 Animale<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph translation-block\">At <strong>Velvet Sant\u00e9 Animale<\/strong>, our preventive examinations are customized to support your dog or cat at every stage of life. Our team takes the time to assess overall physical condition, address your questions, and adapt wellness schedules (vaccinations, parasite prevention, nutrition).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Based on your pet's life stage and breed profile, we guide you on appropriate diagnostic screening panels to protect their vitality and quality of life for as long as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aaha.org\/resources\/2023-aaha-senior-care-guidelines-for-dogs-and-cats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)<\/a> \u2013 <em>2023 Senior Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/catvets.com\/guidelines\/practice-guidelines\/life-stage-guidelines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American Animal Hospital Association &#038; AAFP<\/a> \u2013 <em>2021 Feline Life Stage Guidelines<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aaha.org\/resources\/canine-life-stage-guidelines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)<\/a> \u2013 <em>2019 Canine Life Stage Guidelines<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.avma.org\/resources-tools\/pet-owners\/petcare\/preventive-pet-healthcare\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)<\/a> \u2013 <em>Preventive Pet Healthcare Guidelines<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:80px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Par Dre Rebecca De Arburn Parent : l&rsquo;importance de l&rsquo;examen de sant\u00e9 r\u00e9gulier pour d\u00e9tecter les maladies silencieuses chez le chien, le chat et l&rsquo;animal senior.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4735,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prevention-sante"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4732"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4732\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4734,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4732\/revisions\/4734"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}