Why are annual exams so important for companion animals?
Within their species, companion animals are less able to care for themselves than humans. They have a lesser mental capability, cannot rationalize or learn on a level as humans, and therefore cannot adequately understand many aspects of today s artificial environment which surrounds them. They cannot read, write or otherwise communicate in a word-based language as can humans, and therefore cannot articulate physical/behavioral problems which they will invariably develop sometime during their life-cycle. They age much more rapidly than do humans, and in some cases have a life expectancy that is only ten percent of humans. Because of all these factors companion animals frequently accept the entire spectrum of health, from excellent to poor, as just a normal part of life. When this scenario is coupled with the fact that owners are largely untrained to assess a companion animal s physiological and psychological condition, the real need for regular veterinary medical exams to be conducted b
