Wellness Exams

Wellness exams are the most important preventable health procedure and diagnostic aid available for your pet, particularly those that are geriatric. Early diagnosis of any major illness is a benefit to the health of the animal involved.

As a part of your pet’s annual vaccination program, we will give your pet a thorough physical exam. Our physical exam will help alert you to potential problems which may occur. The comprehensive exam checks the following parameters in detail:

1) Weight

2) Body Condition

3) Coat & Skin quality

4) Cardiovascular Condition

5) Teeth & Gum Condition

6) Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat

7) Rectal Condition

8) Musculoskeletal System

9) Lymphatic System (Lymph nodes)

10) Basic Neurological System

11) Behavior & Socialization Progress

12) Abdominal Palpation to detect abnormal intestine, kidney, liver or spleen size, as well as detect large tumors from these organs.

The physical exam, however, does not allow us to determine the overall health of the internal organs. Only a blood screen will do that. This procedure will detect any liver and kidney problems as well as check for anemia, diabetes and infections. We recommend this screening for all pets 2-7 years of age. If your pet is 7 or older, we recommend bi-yearly exams with a blood screen at each visit. As in all health evaluations, early detection is the key as it allows for more and better treatment options.

Yearly fecal exams are also very important because they can uncover parasites that may not be causing a problem yet, but left untreated can lead to severe diarrhea and vomiting, anemia or malnutrition. Some fecal parasites may even be transmitted to humans.

 

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