Regularly examining your pet can keep him healthy

They were slim times for a young veterinary student. Few things produced as much pleasure as time spent with my pets. On top of all the classroom hours, there were countless hours spent at home studying. To be able to find all those "parts," a veterinary student's pet is an invaluable living classroom. Unfortunately, they sometimes tired of hearing, twenty times a night, "Blossom, come here, I need to find something."

While it's not necessary to examine your pet twenty times a night, your pet's doctor feels it important to know some basic information about your pet. There are some "parts" you should check on a regular basis, and know when there are problems with those "parts" to know when to call the veterinarian.

As human beings, we mostly go to the doctor when we're sick or there's a physical problem that needs attention. We don't go to the doctor as often as we should for preventive care.

Veterinarians, however, mostly deal in preventive care. We recently wrote a column on the importance of the annual physical examination, and emphasized that there are times when the examination should be performed more often than annually.

So, we find it frustrating to hear the words, "I didn't know" when we lift an ear and it's draining pus, or we lift a lip and expose severe gum disease.

Here are some tips to help you perform a basic examination of the parts of your pet you can see and feel. It will help you to catch problems early, too. Once a week is not too often, but do it at least once a month.

Every doctor has a system of examination. He uses that same system every time and we suggest you do the same. I like to start at the front of the body and work backward.