National Pet Week® celebrates the pets that enrich our lives and encourages responsible pet care every day of the year. Created by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Auxiliary to the AVMA in 1981, it’s observed during the first full week of May each year.
Whether companion, comedian, confidant, or champion, our pets are always there for us. National Pet Week® celebrates this bond and encourages pet owners to be certain to provide their best friends with everything needed for a happy, healthy life.
Everyone loves their pets, but not everyone is aware of all that their pet needs to be happy and healthy long into its senior years. AVMA’s member veterinarians – experts in animal health, welfare, and behavior – invite you to take each of the essential actions highlighted during National Pet Week® that are vital to provide a lifetime of love:
Choose well, commit for life
Select the pet that’s right for your family’s lifestyle, and make a commitment to that pet for its life. Even if you have already welcomed a pet into your home, your veterinarian can help you better understand the social and healthcare needs of your individual pet. Learn more about selecting a pet for your family.
Socialize now. New doesn’t have to be scary.
Learn about how to appropriately prepare your pet to enjoy a variety of interactions with other animals, people, places and activities. Everyone will be more comfortable!
Nutrition and exercise matter
With an estimated 52.7% of dogs and 57.9% cats in the United States considered overweight or obese, and humans plagued by this issue as well, the AVMA encourages pets and their owners to provide proper nutrition and get regular exercise—together! This not only improves cardiovascular health, maintains a healthy weight, and supports good mental health for both owner and pet, but it strengthens the human-animal bond.
Love your pet? See your vet!
Everybody love’s their pet, yet not all owners take their pet to the veterinarian unless it is visibly sick or injured. Pets often hide signs of illness. Regular check-ups are vital to catching health problems early. Ask your veterinarian about the role proper nutrition plays in preventive healthcare. Early treatment means better health for your pet; it can also save money.
Maximize the human-animal bond.
The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals. Good human-animal relationships can yield amazing benefits, from lower blood pressure and anxiety to allergy prevention and longer life. Learn more about the human-animal bond and its impact on the health of individuals, families, and communities
Emergencies happen. Be prepared.
Emergencies do happen, so it is important to plan for them. If you have an emergency during office hours call us. After hours, call the Animal Emergency and Critical Care Center at 725-5365.
You should make a financial plan for emergencies before the need arises. Personal savings, credit cards, medical credit cards, and pet health insurance are all options to consider. The important thing is to have a plan in place. We recommend that you consider pet health insurance while your pet is young and has no pre-existing conditions.
Plan for their care. Give them a lifetime of love
Thanks to better care, pets are living longer now than they ever have before – but as pets get older, they need extra care and attention. Regular veterinary examinations can detect problems in older pets before they become advanced or life-threatening, and improve the chances of a longer and healthier life for your pet. Visit our special page for senior dog care or senior cat care to find out what is ‘normal’ and what may signal a reason for concern about an aging pet.