Focus on growth for disease prevention.

摘要: I believe that new pet owners are among the most motivated clients we talk to. Even clients who have had many pets in the past are likely to be interested in “what’s new.” Because of this, I think that veterinary visits during the first year of life, particularly the initial “vaccine visits,” may be the most important interactions we have with the client and pet during the pet’s life. If not, they certainly could be made to be. I believe this based on the abundant evidence that behavior is easier to shape than to change, and that these visits offer the opportunity to shape behaviors that could last a lifetime. They offer the opportunity to “predict and prevent” problems rather than having to “find and fix” them later on.For example, two of the most common long-term health risks for dogs and cats are obesity and its attendant health consequences, and behavior problems that lead to relinquishment of the pet. Moreover, recent research has …