Welcome to Daisy’s Wellness Notes

Daisy’s Wellness Notes is an ongoing educational series created as part of Daisy’s Initiative.

With guidance and contributions from Daisy’s own veterinarian, Dr. Deborah Murtha of Amboy Avenue Animal Hospital, these notes are designed to help families better understand senior dog wellness, preventive care, early awareness, caregiver support, and practical questions to discuss with their veterinarian. Dr. Murtha’s approach emphasizes regular wellness visits, preventive medicine, and paying attention to subtle changes that may warrant a closer look.

Daisy’s story reminds us that our dogs depend on us to notice, ask questions, and speak for them when something feels different.

This series is not about fear. It is about awareness, advocacy, and helping families feel more prepared to have meaningful conversations with the veterinary professionals they trust.

New wellness notes will be added regularly as Daisy’s Initiative continues to grow.

September, 2026:

In this first Wellness Note, Dr. Murtha explains why routine veterinary visits matter even when a pet seems healthy, what subtle changes families should pay attention to, and how preventive care can help identify concerns earlier.

Why Wellness Visits Matter

As a small animal veterinarian, my main goal is to keep my patients — your beloved pets — as happy and healthy for as long as possible. I am a strong believer in the benefit of wellness visits and preventive medicine.

It is very important to have your pet examined regularly and not only when they are sick. I recommend vaccinations to help protect your pets from certain diseases such as kennel cough, Lyme disease, and rabies, as well as many others. Preventives such as heartworm and flea/tick can be crucial in protection against potentially life-threatening illness.

Annual examinations of both dogs and cats give us an opportunity to discuss any changes in their health or behavior that may warrant additional investigation.

Since our pets can’t speak, it is imperative that we work together as a team to identify anything that could be a potential problem that is not obvious. Animals tend to hide symptoms and may not show significant clinical signs of disease until the disease process is more advanced.

Subtle changes in their weight, appetite, or urinary habits could be an early indicator of an illness.

During an exam, your veterinarian can look for any skin lesions or growths, listen for a heart murmur, evaluate for any dental issues, and palpate for any abnormalities that you as the owner may not be aware of.

We recommend annual screenings for heartworm and intestinal parasites, but may also recommend additional testing if we feel something else may be a concern.

Dogs and cats are subject to many of the same health problems as humans, such as heart disease, endocrine disorders, kidney disease, arthritis, and cancer.

Early detection is the best way to form a plan that can help keep your pet healthy longer.

There is no one test that can check for every disease. If your pet appears overall healthy, the first step would be to do a complete blood count in combination with a serum chemistry profile and a urinalysis.

This is typically recommended around 6–8 years of age, depending on the breed and size of your pet. Additional testing, including radiographs and even ultrasound, may be recommended when appropriate.

Many diseases can be diagnosed early in the process before obvious symptoms are noticed. Once they have been noted, your veterinarian can formulate a treatment plan that may include diet changes, medication, or monitoring.

The earlier in a disease process we can intervene, the better. Sometimes we don’t get the opportunity to diagnose problems until it is too late.

About the Author

Dr. Deborah Murtha is a small animal veterinarian at Amboy Avenue Animal Hospital in Metuchen, New Jersey, and a contributing veterinary voice for Daisy’s Initiative.

Her approach emphasizes wellness care, preventive medicine, regular examinations, and helping families recognize changes that may warrant further evaluation. Through Daisy’s Wellness Notes, Dr. Murtha shares practical veterinary guidance to help families better understand their pets’ health and advocate confidently for the animals they love