How many times a year do you visit your veterinarian for just "check-ups" for your dogs and cats? Average pet owners may take their pets to their veterinarians once a year.

But pet professionals such as the AVMA (The American Veterinary Medical Association) actually encourage twice-annual wellness exams for all pets.

Their reason is that dogs and cats age five to eight times as quickly as people do. So for pets, seeing a veterinarian annually is like you seeing a doctor or dentist once every five or eight years.

The advantage of additional visits to your veterinarian is an increased chance of detecting subtle signs of health change in your pets. As people say, "an early diagnosis may mean a better prognosis."

Remember, you can nip possible problems your pets may develop in the bud. Nobody wants problems, but if you catch issues in an early stage, things will likely to work out more smoothly for both you and your pets. Your pets may not have to go through much pain. Your vet cost may be less. Both you and your pets can be happy.

It's all about prevention.