Nestled between summer activities and the hustle of the holidays, autumn’s slower pace is the prime time to visit Red Bank Veterinary Hospital and ensure your pet’s care is up to date.

To help you take the first step, our team has created a seasonal health checklist. Use the following information to familiarize yourself with your pet’s needs and services your veterinarian may recommend.

The timeless benefits of wellness care

First, it’s important to recognize that veterinary care isn’t only for sick pets. Routine wellness care supports your pet’s well-being by:

Providing protection —Vaccines and parasite preventives guard against preventable disease.

Informing care — Exam and lab results guide your veterinarian’s recommendations and keep your pet healthy.

Detecting problems early — Illness and injury aren’t always obvious. Regular exams improve diagnosis for faster treatment and better outcomes.

A season of care: Your pet’s wellness checklist

While your pet’s season of care can begin at any time and should continue year-round, a fall visit is the perfect opportunity to help them stay strong and healthy as the colder months approach.

Complete the checklist below and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your pet is ready for a cozy winter.

#1: Schedule an appointment

Contact us to book an appointment with our general practice team. Now, give yourself a treat—you've just taken the first step toward a healthier, happier pet!

#2: Make a list of questions or concerns

This will help ensure you don’t forget to share important information or ask specific questions during your pet’s visit. No concern is too small, and they all help inform your pet’s care.

#3: Prepare for your pet’s exam

The physical exam is the cornerstone of your pet’s health. It lets the veterinarian assess key body areas, including the teeth and oral cavity, ears, eyes, joints, spine, heart, lungs, abdomen, and genitourinary system.

While your veterinarian will use their expertise to evaluate each of these areas, you can prepare for your visit by noting changes in your pet’s:

• Eating and drinking habits

• Skin or coat (including lumps, bumps, or irritation)

• Vision and hearing

• Mobility (how they stand, move, and get up or down)

• Stool or urine (frequency, volume, or accidents)

• Behavior and energy

In addition to pre-visit preparation, monitoring these areas year-round will help you know when to seek veterinary care.

#4: Familiarize yourself with common vaccines

Vaccines strengthen your pet’s immune system and protect them against transmissible diseases. Several also play a key role in public health by protecting pets and people from zoonotic (i.e., animal-to-human) diseases.

Your veterinarian will make vaccine recommendations based on your pet’s species, age, health, vaccine history, and lifestyle. Understanding the purpose of each one can help you work with your vet to make confident decisions.

Vaccines for dogs:

• Distemper/parvovirus (DAPP) — Protects against serious, life-threatening viral diseases affecting the immune, digestive, and respiratory systems

• Rabies — Required by law; protects pets and people from the fatal virus

• Bordetella — Helps prevent kennel cough; often required by boarding, daycare, and grooming centers

• Canine influenza — Protects against the contagious “dog flu” that causes cough and fever

• Leptospirosis — Prevents a zoonotic bacterial disease spread through water and soil

• Lyme disease — Protects against a tick-borne illness that causes fever and joint pain

Vaccines for cats:

• Feline respiratory complex/panleukopenia (FVRCP) — Combination vaccine that protects against several viruses affecting the respiratory and digestive systems

• Rabies — Required by law; protects pets and people from the fatal virus

• Feline leukemia (FeLV) — Helps protect against a life-long infection that weakens immunity

#5: Understand the importance of dental health

Your pet’s dental health is about more than fresh breath. By age 3, most dogs and cats have some form of dental disease. Left untreated, this can progress to chronic pain, infection, and tooth loss. Severe dental disease can even lead to systemic infections, affecting the kidneys, heart, liver, and lungs.

• Recommended routine dental care includes:

• Annual oral assessment during your pet’s wellness exam

• Yearly dental cleanings under anesthesia

• Full-mouth dental X-rays

• Consistent at-home care (tooth brushing, dental chews, or a dental diet)

It may be time for a complete dental cleaning if your pet is showing signs such as bad breath, drooling, swollen or irritated gums, bleeding, or visibly damaged teeth.

#6: Check and refill parasite prevention

Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and intestinal parasites don’t take a holiday. In fact, many of these pests are out in larger numbers during the fall and may move indoors for the winter. Year-round protection keeps your pet safe from heartworm disease, tick-borne illnesses, and other serious harm.

Check your pet’s prescriptions before their visit and let us know if you need a refill. If your pet isn’t on parasite preventives, our veterinarians will recommend products you can trust.

#7: Recognize the value in routine blood work

While the exam helps your veterinarian understand your pet’s health, blood work provides an inside look. The benefits of wellness blood work for healthy pets include:

• Creating a health baseline (your pet’s “normal”)

• Detecting disease before visible signs appear

• Tracking changes and patterns over time for more precise care

Cozy up to pet health this fall

Like the seasons, your pet’s health is ever-changing. Take action to protect it with the help of Red Bank Veterinary Hospital by scheduling your pet’s next wellness appointment!