Many of you may be experiencing a reduction in income, and I’ve worried that this may cause some of you to put off needed pet healthcare. Now is not the time to forego preventive healthcare for your pets. Statistics show that regular physical exams and vaccines go a long way in preventing disease and in detecting diseases early on, when they’re manageable.

Illnesses happen, even to kitties that visit us regularly. However, it’s usually the kitties that haven’t been in for a while that are the real heartbreakers. Their owners bring them in when they begin to show signs of disease or illness, and their owners hope against all hope that we can fix it. Unfortunately, it’s often too late for treatment to be helpful, and sometimes euthanasia is the most humane option.

Because cats are notorious for hiding symptoms of disease and illness, it doesn’t make sense to bring them to the veterinarian only after they begin to show signs of sickness. Chances are they’ve been sick for quite some time.

I am urging you, even in light of the economic downturn, to continue to maintain your feline companions’ health and bring them in for regular physical exams and vaccines. After all, is their health really something that’s disposable to you, like disposable income? Knowing our clients the way I do, I can say with certainty that it is not. You care too much. And so do we.

I urge you to look elsewhere for opportunities to cut back on expenses, and we pledge to do what we can by foregoing any service fee increases during 2009. We will raise prices on over-the-counter items only by the amount our vendors increase our costs.

I wish you and your four-legged companions (yes, dogs too, if you have them) all the best during these tough times.