Fort Dodge, AVMA unite on pet wellness campaign

PHILADELPHIA—Fort Dodge and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) joined forces to promote awareness on pet aging and unveiled details of an educational initiative promoting twice-yearly veterinary exams.

National Pet Awareness Month is a two-part program. The first segment involves owners receiving educational information from their veterinarian on their pets' health.

The second part of the program propels the pet-aging process message. A series of national news, video and audio releases aim to direct pet owners to their veterinarian for more information.

FIGURE 1: Pets age faster than people.

AVMA past president Jack O. Walther, DVM, says advances in veterinary medicine have led to a higher percentage of older cats and dogs in the United States, and they can't tell their owners where they have pain.

"An exam every six months is the best way to ensure that any potentially life-threatening condition is caught early," Walther says.

Brent Standridge, Fort Dodge Animal Health's senior vice president of sales and marketing, says, "Fort Dodge Animal Health is pleased to be working together with the American Veterinary Medical Association in the development and implementation of the National Pet Wellness Month program. We firmly believe creating greater knowledge and awareness of twice-yearly pet wellness exams will have a dramatic impact on the health, quality of life and longevity of America's pets."

Standridge adds, "The program will emphasize how routine, six-month exams provide another opportunity for early disease detection and better overall care, including the special needs of aging pets."

Veterinarians can request an in-clinic education kit for National Pet Wellness Month by sending an e-mail to petwellness@lpm-adv.com .