The new year is a time for fresh starts—for us and our pets! Setting resolutions for your furry family members can be a fun and rewarding way to enhance their health, happiness, and overall quality of life. From wellness checks to grooming routines, Schoolcraft Veterinary Clinic is here to help you kick off 2025 with the right steps to ensure your pet thrives throughout the year.
1. Annual Check-Ups – A Key to Lifelong Health
Just like humans, pets benefit from regular health check-ups. Wellness exams are an opportunity to catch potential issues early, update vaccinations, perform wellness blood profiles, and discuss your concerns about your pet’s health. At Schoolcraft, we recommend at least one wellness visit annually to ensure your pet thrives.
- New Year’s Resolution Idea: Call us today to schedule your pet’s annual check-up and start the year on a healthy note!
2. The Benefits of High-Quality Diets
While pets can survive on almost any food, the quality of their diet significantly impacts their overall health. Poor-quality foods often lead to increased shedding, dry and brittle coats, flaky skin, and food allergies, which can cause itchy skin, particularly on the feet and ears, and recurrent ear infections. High-quality foods promote healthy skin and coats, reduce stool production, and allow you to feed less.
New Year’s Resolution Idea: Consult our team about a diet plan for your pet’s needs.
3. Regular Exercise and Physical Well-Being
Exercise is vital for both physical and mental health. Daily walks, playtime, and even agility training can keep dogs active. Cats also benefit from regular play sessions with toys, climbing structures, or interactive puzzles. Being active with your pet helps you prevent pet obesity, supports your pet’s joint health, and strengthens your bond with your pet.
- New Year’s Resolution Idea: Commit to daily play or exercise sessions with your pet to keep them active, healthy, and happy while strengthening the bond you share.
4. Explore Pain Management and Mobility Support
As pets age or face injuries, managing pain and improving mobility become top priorities. At Schoolcraft, we offer laser therapy and acupuncture as well as supplements and medications to control pain.
Laser therapy is a non-invasive, drug-free alternative for managing pain. The FDA has approved Laser therapy for use in Veterinary practices. It is safe and effective for treating many debilitating pain conditions, and there are no known side effects!
Acupuncture involves placing thin needles at specific points. Man has been using this technique for thousands of years to treat a variety of conditions and we have learned that it is very effective for pets. More recent research points to the neurophysiological basis of acupuncture. This produces increased levels of hormones and neurochemicals that reduce pain, balance the nervous system, improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, activate the immune system, and improve tissue repair.
- New Year’s Pet Wellness Tip: Consult with one of our doctors to determine if your pet is painful and could benefit from one or more of our tools for pain management
5. Focus on Dental Health
Proper dental care can detect dental disease that affects the mouth and can lead to more serious health problems such as heart, lung, and kidney disease. Good dental hygiene is just as important for pets as for humans. Yet, it is one of the most overlooked areas in pet health.
New Year’s Resolution Ideas:
- Schedule a dental check-up for your pet.
- Learn from our team how to brush your pet’s teeth at home.
- Stay alert to changes in your pet’s dental health, such as bad breath, difficulty chewing, or shifts in eating habits like reduced appetite, pickiness, or slower eating. Promptly addressing these concerns with us helps ensure your pet’s well-being.
6. Parasite Control and Prevention
Parasites can cause severe illness or even death in pets. Pets can suffer from both internal parasites and external parasites. For example, ticks can transmit Lyme disease, fleas can spread tapeworms, and mosquitoes carry heartworms, which damage the heart and lungs. Intestinal parasites like roundworms and hookworms affect pets and can pass to humans. Often, parasites go unnoticed. Fleas hide under fur, tiny ticks are hard to spot, and often pets show no signs of illness until the infestation becomes severe. We offer testing to detect parasites and can recommend effective treatments to control fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites.
New Year’s Resolution Ideas:
- Keep up with regular veterinary care, including stool checks and parasite prevention. This is especially critical for puppies and kittens that have weaker immune systems.
- Teach children to wash their hands before eating, especially after playing in the soil or sand or handling pets. Never let your children run around barefoot outside as parasite larva can penetrate directly through the skin.
- When your pet goes to the bathroom, pick up and throw away the poo immediately to decrease the risk of worm eggs getting into your yard.
7. Create a Grooming Routine
Regular grooming is essential for your pet’s overall health and well-being, not just their appearance. Brushing helps prevent matting, reduces shedding, and distributes natural oils for a healthy coat. Nail trims and ear cleaning are equally important to keep your pet comfortable and avoid potential health issues.
If you are confident in grooming your pet at home, ensure you have the right tools for their specific needs. If you are unsure which tools are best, stop by, and we’ll help you select the perfect grooming essentials. For those who prefer professional grooming, scheduling regular appointments with a groomer can ensure your pet always looks and feels their best.
- New Year’s Resolution Idea: Set up a weekly grooming routine at home with your pet. For those pets requiring professional grooming, appointments should be scheduled every 4 to 8 weeks depending on the pet’s hair coat and cut.
Let Us Make 2025 the Best Year Yet for You and Your Pet
As you set your New Year’s resolutions, do not forget to include your furry friends! By prioritizing their health, grooming, diet, and overall well-being, you ensure they start 2025 on the best possible paw. At Schoolcraft Veterinary Clinic, we support you in every step of your pet’s wellness journey, from routine check-ups to advanced care options like laser therapy and acupuncture. Let us work together to make this year the healthiest and happiest for your beloved pets. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and take the first step toward a fantastic new year for your furry family members!
4872 W U Ave.
Schoolcraft, MI 49087
Phone: 269-679-5248