If you’re a pet owner, you’re in good company. Pets are incredibly popular all throughout the United States and it’s certainly no real surprise as to why. After all, pets of all kinds can bring a great deal of joy into the lives of their owners. Through pets, many people find happiness, find peace, and find connection. Some people are even able to find some relief from conditions like anxiety and depression, not to mention any number of other illnesses, physical and mental alike.

However, pets of all kinds need a good deal of care and love in order to thrive and be healthy. For one thing, pets need regular veterinary check ups just like humans do. Fortunately, a veterinary clinic is not something that is particularly hard to find in today’s world and it’s likely that you’ll be able to find a vet that you trust and can develop a good rapport with. Much as with your own doctor, trust is everything, as you are essentially entrusting your pet into the hands of this professional. Going to a vet clinic with good ratings and in high esteem is one great way that you can ensure this.

But how often does your animal need to go to the vet? For dogs and cats, at least, this is actually quite similar to human scheduling for wellness visits. Typically, adult animals of this nature will need to go into the vet at least once a year, just to be looked and thoroughly examined, something that will help to ensure general health for years to come. When dogs and cats are younger, however, they will need more frequent medical check ups much in the same way that human babies do. For instance, puppies will need a whole slew of shots to ensure their health, as too will kittens. Typically, these shots will begin to take place around six weeks of age – and typically no later than eight weeks of age at the very latest.

During this period of infancy, the need for spaying and neutering will also become relevant. Spaying and neutering your dogs and your cats is quite hugely important. Not only will it cut out unwanted sexual behaviors and periods, but it will also help to control the animal population in your neighborhood. Spaying and neutering your animals is something that can benefit them in the long term as well, at least in regards to their overall health. Though this is a surgical procedure, spaying and neutering is conducted frequently at any given veterinary hospital or vet clinic and is therefore very, very safe to put your animal through. Typically, such a procedure becomes viable when your animal, dog or cat, is about a half of a year old.

Such steps taken will greatly help to reduce the chance that any health problems will develop with your pets. However, there is still always the chance for emergency. Fortunately, the veterinary hospital is quite the common staple in communities all throughout the country. If you’re ever worried about something medical and emergent, always take your pet to a local veterinary hospital, where comprehensive care can be provided to them. In this way, the typical veterinary hospital is very similar indeed to the typical emergency room for humans. Ultimately, it is always better to be safe instead of sorry and take your animal to the veterinary hospital instead of avoiding it. While the bill from a veterinary hospital visit can be somewhat costly, this cost is most certainly more than worth accruing if it means saving your pet’s life.

At the end of the day, even just day to day living can help to keep your pets in good shape – hopefully helping you avoid any trips to the veterinary hospital down the line. For instance, many breeds of dog require regular exercise in order to stay happy as well as healthy. Ideally, your dog should be getting at least a half of an hour of exercise a day. In some cases, other dogs might need as many as two hours of exercise in a single day in order to stay calm and content.