When I was a veterinarian student — a very long time ago — I remember a senior vet telling me something that has stuck with me ever since.

He said: “Common things are common.” At the time I took it as being blatantly obvious but, with experience, I have learnt that it’s often the simple things in life that people overlook. With many issues we come across it’s the easy solution that is correct.

Let me give you some examples.

In the springtime every year, we get a noticeable increase in calls about dogs and cats with itchy skin.

The first question we ask is: “Are you using any flea control?” Almost invariably, they are not. In Bermuda we have “Mafia-style” fleas, they are aggressive, unrelenting and a major cause of itching in our pets, so the simple approach is to rule out fleas and then see what level of itch you are left with.

Common things are common and there is nothing more common than fleas in Bermuda.

The same can be said for intestinal worms. If your otherwise healthy pet has lost some weight recently, make sure they have been dewormed with a suitable product. You would be amazed how many times this very inexpensive treatment can resolve a weight-loss issue, especially in cats who like to hunt.

Another very common issue we see is dental disease. I can’t tell you the number of times an owner has said that their pet’s breath is smelly and I’ve opened their mouth to be faced with terrible tartar and a rotten tooth. Most of our pets do not brush their teeth daily so dental disease is extremely common and can be very debilitating for the animal.

The quality-of-life improvement is quite remarkable once we have cleaned the teeth and taken out the rotten ones.

Another frequent issue we see at this time of year is sudden onset lameness in one foot. When you closely examine the paw there is often a burr stuck in between the pads making it painful whenever they put down their foot. It is so incredibly satisfying when you meet a dog in obvious pain and can fix it on the spot for them by removing a nasty burr. I always get a grateful look from the patient as I leave.

In older cats it’s common to find their toenails have grown into the pad causing tissue damage and a lot of pain. This is because older cats find it harder to care for their nails using trees and scratch posts, and they are less active than in their younger days. Once you trim back those nails, they instantly feel better.

It’s just something to keep an eye on if you have an elderly cat.

Common things being common has certainly played out in my experiences as a vet. There are always more complex answers which need to be found but by ruling out the common causes of disease first, those less common causes can be reached more quickly and efficiently. Keeping your eye on the simple stuff, good diet, healthy weight, exercise and preventive care will keep your pet living their best life.

• Lucy Richardson graduated from Edinburgh University in 2005. She started CedarTree Vets in August 2012 with her husband, Mark. They live at the practice with their two children, Ray and Stella, and their dog, two cats and two guinea pigs. Dr Lucy is also the FEI national head veterinarian for Bermuda