In response to a need, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) collaborated to develop and publish procedures relative to proactive veterinary care. The document, Canine and Feline Preventive Healthcare Guidelines, provides recommendations for a comprehensive veterinary program. 

Need for Guidelines

The need for preventive care and early intervention in the healthcare of humans has long been acknowledged. However, this is not the case for animals. Long-term trends in veterinary medicine point toward the increase in the numbers of homes with pets, but to the decline in numbers of pet owner visits to the veterinarian. This decline is partly due to ineffective communication on the part of the veterinary profession for not conveying the value of preventive care and early intervention of pet health issues.  

Healthcare Guidelines

These established clinical guidelines are based on scientific evidence and expert opinion, and can provide strategies that change communication behaviors and implement new practices within veterinary medicine. The procedures listed in the guidelines are based on the subjective-objective-assessment-plan (SOAP) for use with sick or injured animals. Considered as a process for delivering optimal care, SOAP is also appropriate for use with healthy patients.

Examination Visits

In order to evaluate the health of the animal, at least one yearly examination should be completed by the veterinarian to obtain information outlined by the guidelines. Additional examinations may be required, but this would be determined by the needs of an individual animal. The following information is canine and feline inclusive as found within the guidelines, unless otherwise noted.

SOAP

Subjective Information:

• History, to include:
• Evaluation of lifestyle
• Life stage
• Behavior
• Diet

Objective examination findings:

• Comprehensive physical examination, to include:
• Dental assessment
• Pain assessment
• Body and muscle condition scoring

Assessments based on the history and physical exam findings:

• Medical conditions
• Infectious and zoonotic diseases
• Parasite and zoonotic diseases
• Parasite prevention and control
• Dental care
• Considerations based on:
• Genetics
• Breed
• Age
• Behavior
• Nutrition

Preventive:

• Diagnostic plan:
• Heartworm testing
• Retrovirus testing (feline)
• Annual internal parasite testing
• Dependent on animal, additional assessments may be suggested:
• Diagnostic tests, including dental radiographs
• Early disease screening tests
• Genetic screening tests
• Therapeutic plan:
• Year-round parasite control against heartworm, intestinal parasites, and fleas
• Dependent on animal, additional assessments may be suggested:
• Tick control, determined by risk
• Therapeutic recommendations
• Dental recommendations
• Behavioral recommendations
• Environmental enrichment recommendations (feline)
• Dietary recommendations

Client Communication

To further educate on the preventive health needs of an animal, the guidelines involve the following steps for client communication:

• Prevention Plan
• Core vaccine immunization, following guidelines
• Non-core vaccine immunization, following guidelines
• Microchipping
• Reproductive and genetic counseling
• Zoonotic disease counseling
• Follow-up Plan
• Established on recommendations of assessment and future care needs
• Communicate expectations for next appointment
• Documentation
• Establish notes and documentation of patient visit

The guidelines created by AVMA and AAHA highlight veterinary medicine by focusing on primary care, wellness, and disease prevention.  While they are not intended for use as an AAHA or AVMA standard of care, the guidelines can be used as helpful information to create dialogue with clients on the importance of disease prevention versus disease treatment. 

Information regarding the guidelines was obtained from:
https://www.aaha.org/public_documents/professional/guidelines/aaha-avma_preventivehealthcareguidelines.pdf.