Annual Wellness & Preventive Care Visits
Annual Wellness & Preventive Care Visits
We believe that annual wellness exams form the foundation of your pet's health, happiness, and longevity. And since our pets' biology changes much faster than ours (a once-a-year checkup for a pet is like a person having one every five years), it’s important that we don’t skip their annual appointments, even when they seem perfectly well. We allot 30 minutes for our exams so that we can provide you and your pet with the attention you both deserve.
Health History & Current Status
Our visits begin with detailed discussions regarding medical history, family history, and recent changes in your pet’s habits or behaviors. For example, excessive drinking can point to the possibility of kidney disease or diabetes, while a pet that’s reluctant to eat could be in the early stages of dental disease. We also ask you about possible exposures to diseases or parasites. A dog that winters in Florida (lucky dog!), for instance, is at a much higher risk of heartworm disease. Being aware of your pet’s lifestyle and risk factors can help us tailor your pet’s preventive measures.
Physical Exam & Prevention
Next, we’ll perform a hands-on, snout-to-tail evaluation. We'll look at your pet's nose, skin and coat, eyes, ears, mouth, teeth, neck, lymph nodes, musculoskeletal system, chest (breathing/heart rate and sound), abdomen (palpation of organs), temperature, weight, and neurologic function.
If your pet’s health history or physical exam reveals any concerns, we might suggest bloodwork to screen for illnesses that can cause your pet discomfort. Performing bloodwork and other diagnostic tests on a regular basis can help us spot subtle changes in your pet’s condition that can’t be observed during a physical exam.
We also make vaccine and parasite control recommendations at this time. We prefer to vaccinate as infrequently as possible while keeping everyone protected.
Client Education
We know our clients are receptive and eager to know the best ways to care for their pets, and our dedicated team is trained to ensure that you leave our office with the information and tools you need to keep your pet happy and healthy. We provide you with tips about common items that are harmful to pets as well as information about preventive health management and options for age-appropriate treatments. We also discuss dietary options, foods to avoid, what to do in emergencies, breed-specific recommendations, behavioral management, and anything else we can think of.
Our pets can't talk, and they depend on us to keep them safe. Please call our office anytime you feel that something isn’t quite right with your pet. And make sure your pet visits us every year for a checkup.