The National Pet Wellness “Being a Pet is Risky Business” campaign is underway in thousands of veterinary clinics nationwide. Sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association and Fort Dodge Animal Health, the campaign is aimed at educating dog owners on the diseases that their pets are at risk of and how to protect them.
Common areas such as parks, backyards, and even home interiors can carry disease-causing organisms that can spread through fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, standing water, and other pets.
Roger K. Mahr, DVM, AVMA president, recommends owners take their dogs in for regular exams and disease-risk assessments. These assessments help veterinarians determine the diseases that each pet may be exposed to and the best ways to prevent them. Dog owners will be asked questions such as whether or not their dogs go outdoors unsupervised, if they drink from puddles or ponds, what kind of wildlife exists in their area, and if they own multiple pets. Veterinarians then use these answers to develop individualized disease prevention programs and vaccinations for each dog.
Visit www.npwm.com for additional information regarding pet wellness, disease-risk assessment, and prevention.