Wellness Pet Care for the Proactive Pet Owner

Pet Wellness Care Photo

Wellness is a philosophy of comprehensive, preventive, and supportive whole pet care, promoting a positive experience for pets and their owners. Wellness Plans created by BBVA/DVA veterinarians address all areas of pet care and may include the following:

  • Vaccines
  • Diet and nutrition
  • Exercise and play
  • Parasite prevention
  • Oral and dental care
  • Behavior and training
  • Habitat
  • Travel

The Wellness Plan addresses the needs and wants of the pet owner while considering lifestyle and companion type. For example, a house pet will have dramatically different needs than a show dog. Senior pet wellness may include planning for chronic conditions and pain management as well.

Below find information and resources for all of the pets we serve at BBVA/DVA: dogs, cats, birds, and pocket pets.

Dogs and Cats

Adult dogs and cats may seem to thrive on food, water, and love alone, but a regular wellness plan of whole pet care will keep your pet happy and vigorous for many years. Ongoing health and longevity is the foundation for an enjoyable relationship with your pet and enhances the formation of the human–animal bond.

Recommendations for vaccines, lab work, parasite prevention, and more are included in our Wellness Care Plans for your special animal companion:

We encourage you to view our recommendations for Puppies and Kittens and Senior Pets, and our Vaccinations page outlines valuable information for every pet owner.

For help in choosing the right dog for you, enjoy this brochure from AVMA, What You Should Know About Selecting A Dog.

Visit the AAHA HealthyPet website for a variety of articles about dog care and training.

Read the great article, Make Time for Play and Prevent Behavior Problems in Cats for tips about training and understanding your cat’s behavior.

For an in-depth discussion about the topic of spaying or neutering your pet, visit the Y2SPAY website.

Birds

Avian pets are beautiful and intelligent, but they require regular care and attention, and more social birds will require even daily handling to be content. All pet birds need a balanced diet, clean water, appropriate caging, proper sanitation, and regular veterinary check-ups.

The experienced veterinarians at BBVA/DVA can help you choose the right type of avian pet for your home and advise you on the health requirements of your new bird, such as proper immunizations, grooming, parasite control, and nutrition. Call us for advice on choosing an avian pet or to schedule your first wellness visit for your new feathered friend.

For more information, read this AVMA brochure titled What You Should Know About Selecting a Bird.

Read this great article, Balancing You Parrot’s Lifestyle, by the experts at Veterinary Partner.

Join the companion parrot community at the Good Bird Inc. website for many resources and information about training your parrot.

Pocket Pets

Pocket pets are a broad category of animal companion that includes mice, rats, gerbils, ferrets, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits. Equipment, feed, and bedding for these pets is widely available at pet and discount stores, but it is helpful to learn about the care and needs of your pet prior to bringing it home. An inadequate cage, inappropriate bedding, or the wrong feed can be harmful or even deadly, so preparation is essential.

While pocket pets generally do not require vaccinations, regular veterinary check-ups are an important part of whole pet care. Your tiny pet’s health can change quickly without obvious symptoms. Avoid undetected diseases and complications with regular wellness care.

Contact BBVA/DVA as soon as you bring your pocket pet home to schedule a wellness exam and obtain general guidelines for care.

Read the article Pocket Pet Care on the AAHA website.

Read the CDC guidelines for preventing Salmonella from passing to you and your family.

Visit the Small Mammal series offered by the experts at the Veterinary Partner website.

The Pocket Pet Connection is a great source for information about pocket pets such as hamsters, mice, rats, guinea pigs, sugar gliders, and more.