The Importance of Preventive Care
Wellness exams are critical to helping your pet maintain good long-term physical health.
Combined with regular vaccinations, parasite prevention and proper nutrition, these routine examinations include regular physical checkups to give your pet their best chance at excellent lifelong health.
When you bring your pet in for their regular checkup we can prevent health issues from developing in your pet, or catch them early, when they are most treatable.
What to Expect During Your Pet's Physical
The vet will give your pet a thorough physical examination to get a complete picture of his or her overall health. An exam includes the following elements:
General Condition
Your pet's general demeanor and physical condition can provide clues to their overall health. How they stand and walk, their level of alertness, and whether they are a healthy weight for their size are all important indicators of overall health.
- Coat & Skin
We will check your pet's skin and coat for signs of problems, including excessive oiliness or dryness, lumps, bumps, dandruff or abnormal hair loss or shedding.
- Face & Head
Your pet's eyes, ears and nose will be examined for abnormalities or discharge. We will also check the mouth for symptoms of oral health problems such as plaque buildup or periodontal disease.
- Nutritional Consulting
While undergoing a routine physical examination, our veterinarians will inquire about your pet's diet. The kind of food, amount of food, and frequency with which they eat can all impact your pet's health, and all of those are easy to change.
If one of our vets believes that your pet could benefit from a change in their diet, they will make a recommendation to you regarding what changes they think would be most effective.
We offer a wide range of prescription diets at our hospital, so regardless of what your pet needs, we will be able to provide just the right nutritional support.
If you have any questions about your pet's diet or eating habits, feel free to ask one of our vets, either during or after your pet's checkup.
Internal Health
Heart rate, rhythm and pulse are vitally important to your pet’s heart health. We'll test these to ensure they're normal, and carefully listen to the lungs for sounds of abnormal breathing.
External lymph nodes will be checked for pain or swelling. We will also examine the abdomen and palpate internal structures like intestines, kidneys, urinary tract, bladder, spleen, liver and stomach in an attempt to find any abnormalities or pain. Often blood, urine and fecal testing can help provide an even more accurate evaluation of a pet’s internal health. We recommend annual blood work and fecal testing for all pets 1 to 6 years of age. For senior pets, we recommend blood work and urine tests every 6 months.
Puppies & Kittens
Puppies and kittens need proper medical attention in their first few weeks of life to get off to a healthy start.
We'll give your new best friend a complete physical examination, appropriate immunizations, and deworming medication. We will also test for intestinal parasites.
Please never hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have about caring for your new pet, both at your appointments or following your visits.
Seniors
With recent advances in veterinary medical knowledge and care, as well as newer therapies and better nutrition, senior pets are living longer than ever.
As your pet ages, regular examinations become increasingly crucial to ensuring their continuing health and longevity.
In addition to the routine wellness procedures we perform on all adult pets, we will give special attention to your senior pet's potential age-related conditions, such as arthritis or decreased vision. Additional laboratory tests will also provide information about your pet's overall health.
Vaccinations & Prevention
During your pet's physical exam, the veterinarian will also check whether your animal requires preventive care, or if they are due for any routine vaccinations.