Thank you for visiting the Ask the Vet’s Pets Web site. We hope the general veterinary information we offer enhances the care you provide your pets.

This information is intended to supplement what your veterinarian tells you. We can’t diagnose your pet’s problem or recommend treatment -– only your veterinarian can do that. If your pet seems ill, make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible.

It’s important to see your veterinarian regularly, even when your pet isn’t sick. Wellness exams help you and your vet prevent disease and, if a problem does occur, to identify it early, while treatment is relatively easy and inexpensive.

While your pet is under one year of age, two or three wellness exams are needed. As a young adult, your pet should visit the veterinarian at least annually. During middle age and the senior years, when diseases often develop, wellness exams should be scheduled at least every six months.

The single most important thing you can do to help your pet remain healthy is to maintain a close relationship with your veterinarian.

Please feel free to share the link to the Ask the Vet’s Pets Web site with your friends and veterinarian. However, we ask you not to quote the columns or the Web site content without written permission from the copyright holder, Deborah Lee Pickett, V.M.D. Please remember that all information on this Web site and in the Ask the Vet’s Pets columns is copyrighted.