When you bring your pet in for a wellness exam, your veterinarian will review your pet’s medical history and ask if you have any concerns about your dog or cat’s health or behavior. Your veterinarian will also inquire about your pet’s nutrition, lifestyle, exercise routine, thirst, and urination.
What to Expect If You Take Your Pet to a Wellness Exam
Many veterinarians need pet owners to bring a fresh sample of their pet’s feces (bowel movement) for a fecal exam. Fecals are crucial for diagnosing intestinal parasites that can seriously affect your pet’s health.
Following that, your veterinarian will conduct a physical examination of your pets on Broadway, which will often involve the following:
- Your pet’s weight
- Examining the animal’s stance and motion for abnormalities
- Examining your pet’s feet and nails for symptoms of injury or more significant health issues. Provide acupuncture for dogs if needed.
- Examining your pet’s heart and lungs
- Examine your dog’s or cat’s skin for signs of dryness, parasites, or lumps.
- Examining the overall health of your pet’s coat, keeping an eye out for dandruff or bald spots
- Examining the eyes for redness, cloudiness, problems with the eyelids, excessive tearing, or discharge
- Examine your pet’s ears for bacterial infection, mites, wax buildup, or polyps.
- Examining your pet’s teeth for signs of periodontal disease, injury, or tooth decay
- Feeling (palpating) along your pet’s body for symptoms of sickness such as swelling, evidence of lameness such as limited range of motion, and signs of pain.
- Palpate your pet’s abdomen to see if the internal organs are normal and for pain symptoms.
These tests can be completed quickly as long as no problems are discovered. Vaccinations will be administered at your pet’s wellness exam based on the proper schedule for your cat or dog.
Vaccinations for puppies and kittens and booster vaccinations for older dogs and cats are critical to giving your pet the best chance of living a long and happy life. Keeping your pet’s immunizations updated throughout life will help prevent them from various contagious, possibly fatal diseases and ailments.
Some Pets Require Further Testing
In addition to the routine exams mentioned above, your veterinarian may recommend extra wellness testing. When determining whether to have additional tests performed on your dog or cat, remember that, in many circumstances, early treatment of disease is less expensive and less invasive than treating the ailment once it has progressed to more severe stages.
The tests listed below screen for a variety of illnesses and can aid in detecting the very first signs of disease, even before symptoms appear:
- Thyroid hormone testing
- Urinalysis
- Complete blood count (CDC)
Additional diagnostic tests, such as x-rays and other imaging, may be recommended if you have an old pet or a big breed dog. These extra tests performed once a year, provide your veterinarian with important information about your pet’s health and the progression of any age-related disorders.
This proactive approach to veterinary treatment can assist your pet in remaining mobile and healthy into old age. If you are looking for the best pet care out there, you can just type in your search “dog wellness exam near me” to see the nearest professional service available in your area.
After Your Pet’s Routine Wellness Examination
After the inspection and your pet’s annual vaccinations, your veterinarian will discuss any findings. If your veterinarian notices any symptoms of disease or damage, they will consult with you about more detailed diagnostics or treatment choices.
Assume your dog or cat has received a clean bill of health. Your veterinarian may provide advice or recommendations regarding your pet’s nutrition and exercise regimens, oral health, or parasite prevention.