Why Routine Checkups Are Important To Your Pet’s Neurological Health?

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vet neurology

In addition to feeding and exercising your pet, there are other aspects of general care that are needed to keep your pet healthy throughout their lifetime. This can include routine veterinary care for vaccinations, parasite control, and dental care along with grooming. It also helps in the detection of early neurological disorders and protection from household hazards. 

Pets such as dogs and cats possess a nervous system that is almost similar to humans. The brain, spinal cord, vertebrae, and peripheral nerves can experience injury and deterioration with age. The result often comes as a neurological disorder that can often be healed, cured, and managed. The experts at your nearby vet neurology can provide the advanced testing and treatment your pet needs, keeping them safe and healthy.

Importance of Veterinary Care in Pets

Adult pets, especially dogs and cats should have a complete veterinary examination once a year depending upon their overall health while puppies and kittens need veterinary visits usually every 15 to 25 days until they are about 4 months old. Dogs that are older than 7 to 8 years should see their veterinarian at least twice a year because they are more prone to injuries and illness. Pet health insurance companies like Bivvy can help relieve the burden of vet-related expenses and protect your pet in case of a medical emergency or accident.

Your veterinarian may also recommend a wellness program for your pet that will include routine blood work to monitor for problems such as early kidney or liver diseases. The likelihood of getting better will depend on the cause and severity. For example, seizures can be caused by more serious things like brain tumors and meningitis, but can also be less life-threatening conditions such as benign epilepsy. Balance problems can heal better on their own in a couple of days or can be due to causes that are life-threatening.

Even scary things like paralysis or the inability to use the limbs can be completely cured.  Sometimes surgery is needed for the possible chances of getting a better treatment but many causes of paralysis can improve with rehabilitation.

Routine Checkups Help Determine Early Signs and Symptoms of Illnesses

Because you are more familiar with your pet than even your veterinarian, you should watch it carefully to spot any subtle signs of illness that another person or even a veterinarian may miss. A lot of small animal neurology experts suggested that signs of an illness can include a lack of appetite or decreased activity. Other more specific signs suggested by the animal neurologist near me include vomiting and diarrhea, urinating more or less frequently, coughing and sneezing or a discharge from the eyes, ears and nose. 

Illness can also show up as a sign of loss of hair or itchy areas on the skin or around the ears. Problems with the neurological disorders and musculoskeletal system are often seen as stiffness or lameness such as not putting weight on the leg of your pet and if your dog shows any of these signs and symptoms for more than a day or two then visiting your veterinarian is a good idea.

How To Take Care Of Your Pet’s Neurological Health?

Some causes of neurological disorders in pets are evident such as trauma and stress. There are other possible factors that can add up to this.

  • Autoimmune disorders.
  • Congenital conditions.
  • Infection.
  • Inherited susceptibility.
  • Underlying systemic disease.

Well in general, determining the cause of neurological disorders in pets can aid the development of an effective treatment plan. When needed, your veterinarian may suggest a vet MRI so that they have a more complete picture of your pet’s medical history. 

What to do after observing symptoms of a neurological disorder is often determined by your vet and it depends on the type and cause of the disorder for example:

  • A slipped disk may be related to spinal surgery.
  • An autoimmune disorder can be over countered with medication.
  • Brain tumors can be treated with the help of brain surgery or with radiation therapy.

While most of the disorders can be treated by an experienced vet, keep in mind that there are some neurological disorders for which there is no treatment or the treatment is costly. In such cases, you can also count on your compassionate veterinarian to help you understand and cope with the approaching loss of your pet.

Bottom Line: 

Now that you are well aware of the vital role that routine checkups play in your pet’s neurological health, it is time to book a consultation with an experienced vet neurologist and avoid any complications.