I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard the following... "We haven't seen you for a few years Doc as Fluffy never goes outside". Although it is true that outdoor cats have a number of concerns to deal with that indoor cats don't this does not mean that indoor cats have no need to see a Veterinarian.
As we all know, cats (and dogs) are aging at a much faste...r rate than we are. One year of their life is equivalent to 4-7 years of ours. A lot can change in that time period. Routinely, we find all kinds of medical issues in indoor pets at the time of their annual visit which need to be addressed. As an example, it has been estimated that upwards of 85% of all cats have dental disease. Dental disease is chronic, progressive and can lead to all degrees of pain and discomfort which can go unnoticed by the pet owner. On a daily basis (and often several times a day), I will find pets who have lesions in their mouths which the owner is completely unaware of.
As we all know, cats (and dogs) are aging at a much faste...r rate than we are. One year of their life is equivalent to 4-7 years of ours. A lot can change in that time period. Routinely, we find all kinds of medical issues in indoor pets at the time of their annual visit which need to be addressed. As an example, it has been estimated that upwards of 85% of all cats have dental disease. Dental disease is chronic, progressive and can lead to all degrees of pain and discomfort which can go unnoticed by the pet owner. On a daily basis (and often several times a day), I will find pets who have lesions in their mouths which the owner is completely unaware of.
An annual examination provides us the opportunity to find these problems and rectify them before they become worse. We all want our pets to live a long, healthy and pain-free life. One of the best ways to do that is to have your pet see a Veterinarian at least once yearly for a complete physical examination.
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