We recommend that healthy adult dogs and cats visit us once a year. Puppies, kittens, senior pets, and pets with health issues or illnesses need to see us more frequently. During your pet’s wellness checkup, we’ll create a plan to support their overall health, including vaccination schedules, dental care, nutrition counselling and parasite prevention.
What is the purpose of a veterinary exam?
A veterinary exam (or wellness exam) is like your pet’s veterinary checkup. Since furry friends age at a much quicker rate than us, they can develop health issues in a shorter time span. Regular visits help us diagnose diseases and conditions early, when they’re easier to treat or manage. Preventative medicine is an important part of our healthcare practice. We use vaccinations and other measures to help prevent diseases your pet could contract, which are either costly to treat or can be fatal.
What happens during my pet’s checkup?
During your pet’s appointment, we’ll ask you a series of questions about your pet’s daily routines to get a sense of their overall health. You can expect to answer questions about their diet, exercise, thirst, breathing, behavior, habits, bowel movements, lifestyle, and general health. We’ll also perform a physical exam to assess your pet’s external body parts. For example, we’ll check their eyes, hearing and range of motion. It’s also routine for your pet to do some bloodwork, which will be processed at our in-house laboratory.
What happens after you’ve assessed my pet’s health?
Based on our assessment and your pet’s medical history, we’ll make recommendations on additions to your pet’s wellness plan to help them maintain optimal health between visits. We’ll make recommendations for specific preventive medicine treatments such as vaccination, parasite control (including preventive treatments for fleas, ticks, intestinal parasites, and heartworm), nutrition, skin and coat care, joint health, weight management, or dental care. If your pet is due for their wellness exam, please contact us at 705-753-0324.