When I began my career as a veterinary nurse over 20 years ago, I never could have imagined the extent of the changes I would witness in the profession now and in the ways we care for animals.

Veterinary nursing back then was a role still finding its place and we lacked local schools to support such programmes. Much of our work was focused on support and basic nursing tasks. Many pet owners thought of us simply as “assistants” in the background.

Over the years, the role of a vet nurse has expanded tremendously. It has evolved into a vital, respected part of veterinary medicine with greater clinical responsibility, deeper client education and stronger recognition of the critical role nurses play in animal welfare.

The journey has been both humbling and inspiring, and I have witnessed not only advances in veterinary medicine, but also changes in how people view and care for their pets.

Back then, we had fewer tools, fewer specialists to refer cases to and definitely fewer ways to detect diseases early.

Training has expanded to cover a wider range of specialities, including anaesthesia monitoring, emergency care and pain management, to name a few.

More pet owners are focusing on preventative healthcare, which is a positive sign. However, a common mistake I see is that pet owners may ignore small issues in their pets.

Many problems are subtle at first and because pets are so good at hiding discomfort, issues may go unnoticed until they are advanced with obvious symptoms.

Here are some early signs that pet owners should look out for.

Dental problems are among the most overlooked yet common health issues in dogs and cats, typically ignored until advanced disease causes overt symptoms.

Pet owners tend to overlook this aspect of health as most animals may still be eating and behaving normally, until a vet check proves otherwise.

Also, pet owners assume bad breath –...