The start of a new year is the perfect time to reset routines and set fresh goals not just for yourself but for your pet, too. Creating clear pet health goals helps ensure your dog or cat stays protected, energized, and thriving all year long. From staying up to date on vaccines to building healthier nutrition habits and maintaining routine care, a proactive approach can make a big difference in your pet’s long-term wellbeing.
Stay on Track With Vaccinations
Vaccinations are one of the most important tools for protecting your pet from preventable diseases. Making vaccine care a yearly goal helps reduce the risk of illness and supports overall community health.
- Core vaccines protect against serious diseases such as rabies, distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis, and feline viral infections.
- Non-core vaccines may be recommended based on your pet’s lifestyle, travel, boarding needs, or exposure to other animals.
- Annual wellness exams are the ideal time to review your pet’s vaccination schedule and ensure nothing is overdue.
Keeping vaccines current not only protects your pet but can also be required for boarding, grooming, training, or travel.
Build Healthier Diet Habits
Nutrition plays a major role in your pet’s energy levels, weight, and long-term health. The new year is a great opportunity to reassess what and how much your pet is eating.
- Choose a balanced, high-quality diet appropriate for your pet’s age, size, and activity level.
- Monitor portion sizes to prevent unwanted weight gain, especially after the holidays.
- Limit table scraps and treats, which can add extra calories and upset digestion.
- Talk with your veterinarian about prescription or specialized diets if your pet has allergies, sensitivities, or chronic conditions.
Small nutrition adjustments now can help prevent obesity, joint issues, and metabolic disease later.
Commit to Routine Preventive Care
Routine care often catches health concerns early, when they are easier and less costly to manage. Making preventive care a yearly priority supports your pet’s comfort and longevity.
- Schedule annual or biannual wellness exams to monitor overall health.
- Stay consistent with heartworm, flea, and tick prevention year-round.
- Keep up with dental care, including at-home brushing and professional cleanings when recommended.
- Track changes in behavior, appetite, or mobility and address concerns early.
- Annual bloodwork is a vital part of preventative care for cats and dogs at every stage of life. Regular testing helps establish baseline values when your pet is healthy, making it easier to detect subtle changes early.
Preventive care is about more than avoiding illness; it’s about helping your pet enjoy a better quality of life every day.
Make This the Year of Better Pet Health
Setting clear pet health goals at the beginning of the year helps create healthy habits that last well beyond January. Whether your focus is vaccines, nutrition, or routine care, partnering with a trusted veterinary team makes staying on track easier and more effective.
If your pet eats something they shouldn’t, needs vaccines updated, or you simply want to make sure they’re healthy going into the new year, schedule a checkup with your nearest CityVet location. Call or visit us at CityVet to book your appointment.