The goal of preventative medicine is to try to intervene before a health problem arises or in some cases, treat the issue early before it gets out of hand. This includes regular veterinary visits, annual vaccines, tick and parasite preventative, nutritional counselling, as well as regular blood work and urine screening. Additionally getting owners to ask questions about symptoms they notice in their pet.
Preventative medicine through vaccines and parasite control, helps to reduce the risk of infectious disease. In contrast, proper nutrition reduces the number of dogs and cats that are overweight and secondary health complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and orthopedic problems. Additionally, nutrition can be an important tool in managing ongoing health issues in pets and reducing the need to intervene with drugs and other tools.
A preventative approach is also effective in reducing behavioural issues. Focusing on ensuring that the animal feels safe in their house and redirecting negative behaviours while they are still minor, significantly reduces the likelihood of an animal becoming aggressive. Owners should start as early as possible with preventative care to ensure the greatest quality of life for their animal.
In order to help pet parents provide for proper preventative medicine some companies have come up with monthly instalments to allow them to effectively budget. Dr Kash Kuruppu observed that 80% of pet owners could not afford an annual visit, 56% of owners did not understand the need for preventative medicine and 30% did not see a vet annually. In response to these numbers she decided to create Milo an innovative company that ensured pets receive affordable preventative care. Pet owners can create a plan that is completely customized to their pet lifestyle and breed and pay monthly payments rather than a large on the spot annual sum. Milo works with several veterinarian practices to ensure that this service is available to as many pet owners as possible. The company has allowed for an increase of pets receiving preventative care in Canada.In addition to making preventive care affordable and accessible, Milo Plans help pet parents stay on top of their pets' health due to the nature of this customized plan and with a series of reminders.
A veterinary clinic, Treatwell Pet Care, located in the Ottawa region has come up with a similar model. As a mobile practice, Treatwell Pet Care breaks up the cost of preventative medicine by splitting the cost into separate monthly charges. There are two plans customers can choose from and they are designed to be broad and flexible enough to meet all of a pet’s needs. They also customize the plan based on the pet’s needs in order to make it more convenient for owners. Their plans include a minimum of two visits and the possibility of reaching out to a veterinarian at any time with no additional cost. This allows them to detect issues in pets earlier. Their openness and approachability with their clients is one of the best tools in providing great and effective preventative care.
