Wellness Programs

At Brainerd Hills Veterinary Hospital, our doctors and staff understand that the needs of your furry friend are different from other pets, and will change as they begin to age. Therefore, we have established protocols for each life stage of your pet.

When our pets first come into our lives, they have unique health and wellness needs that will be met at Brainerd Hills Veterinary Hospital. Vaccines must be administered not only for the life and health of your pet, but also to insure your pet is compliant within the law for rabies inoculation for example. Our doctors recommend spaying or neutering all pets not used for breeding purposes. Not only do these procedures prevent unwanted puppy or kitten litters, they also provide numerous health benefits as your pet ages. Heartworm prevention in both puppies and kittens are crucial for their long-term health, and intestinal parasites, fleas and ticks can all be prevented using products available at Brainerd Hills. We also recommend microchipping all pets to greatly increase their opportunity to be reunited with you in the event they wander away from home. Other considerations for young pets include nutritional and dental counseling so your pet is getting off on the right foot in their young lives. Finally, blood work can also be measured in puppies and kittens so our caring doctors have a baseline of your pet’s health they can compare to blood testing when your pet is older.

As our dogs and cats begin to reach adulthood, their requirements begin to change as well. Maintaining vaccine Heartworm preventative, intestinal parasite prevention and flea and tick products continue to be an important part of the wellness protocol at Brainerd Hills Veterinary Hospital. Other health matters such as yearly dental cleanings become more important for adult dogs and cats. Pets as young as one year of age can begin to experience dental issues, and approximately 80% of pets over the age of three have some form of periodontal disease so it is best for your pet to get started on the road to oral health as soon as possible. Blood work continues to be an important part of the health of adult animals, as these values can help our doctors discover possible issues prior to the onset of disease.

The doctors at Brainerd Hills have a plan for senior animals as well. Large-breed dogs may be considered “senior” at the age of five (5), while average-sized breeds are generally considered “senior” at the age of seven (7). It is important to bring an older animal to the veterinarians at Brainerd Hills more frequently, just as older humans see their doctor more often. Blood work becomes the cornerstone of disease diagnosis and prevention, as the tests can discover and track early onset of issues facing older pets. Other age-related considerations included osteoarthritis, and pain medications as needed.

Contact the caring staff at Brainerd Hills Veterinary Hospital to schedule a wellness visit for your pet. Regardless of the life-stage of your pet, our experienced veterinarians are ready to care for your pets, just as they care for their own!