You love your pet. You treat it as a true member of your family. And, like with any family member, you want your pet to receive the best medical care. That's why creating a wellness plan for your pet should be a priority.

Each veterinarian at North Suffolk Animal Hospital -- a full-service animal hospital providing care for pets in Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Smithfield, Norfolk and the Western Branch of the Chesapeake area -- recognizes the importance of planning for your pet's wellness. In fact, you won't find any veterinary hospitals that place a greater emphasis on creating a pet care plan for your pet.

Working with a Veterinarian Who Cares

There's a reason why pet care planning is so important at North Suffolk Animal Hospital: The veterinarians at this hospital care about your pets. We're all pet lovers here. And, we know that the happiest pets are those with owners committed to wellness planning. Many veterinary hospitals will handle animal emergencies and issues as they arise. But, at North Suffolk, we take a longer-term view.

The veterinarians on our staff offer a host of preventative services for our patients. This includes dental cleanings, physicals, scheduled vaccinations and nutritional counseling. We even offer behavioral counseling from our staff of trained veterinarians.

We believe in a holistic approach to treating our patients. We've found that by addressing all of the facets of animal health -- from crafting a healthy diet to addressing behavioral problems -- we provide the best possible service to our clients and to their pets.

This approach has left us with a roster of happy clients and healthy pets. Too often, pet owners focus only on short-term emergency are. They'll take their pets to their local veterinary hospital if something is wrong: Their cat isn't eating or their dog starts limping. But, if their pets aren't showing obvious signs of distress, they won't think of a visit to their local vet.

We'd like to change this attitude. People need regular physicals and check-ups. Why wouldn't pets?

What steps do you take to ensure your pet remains healthy and active?