Routine Check-Ups & Physical Examinations
You may not know how essential your pet’s yearly checkup is to their health and well-being. It’s as important as feeding them daily and loving them forever. It’s the best way to keep your pet healthier, longer!
Every year, we love to see your pets for a complete physical examination. For our senior pets and those with chronic health issues (obesity, dental disease, heart disease, arthritis, taking regular medication, kidney disease, etc.), every 6 months and sometimes more is optimal. Because pets cannot verbalize their symptoms, and often instinctually hide symptoms, these routine checkups are critical to identify emerging or current health problems that may be affecting their quality of life. A thorough nose-to-tail exam allows us to assess many organ systems and catch disease symptoms early and provide, in many cases, for a longer and more comfortable life.
What are we looking for? Here are some major categories and possible concerns:
- Body condition: is your pet an ideal body condition & weight? Overweight or obese? Underweight?
- Eyes: healthy tear production, sight, cataracts, signs of glaucoma or other disease
- Ears: infections, wax build up, allergic itchiness, ear mites
- Teeth: abscesses, fractures, gum disease/gingivitis, tooth resorption
- Skin: infections, lumps and bumps, parasites, fur quality
- Lymph nodes: swelling, pain
- Musculoskeletal: swelling, pain, arthritis, tumors
- Heart and lungs: heart murmurs, arrhythmias, asthma, pneumonia
- Abdomen: pain or palpable abnormalities of liver, spleen, kidneys and intestines
This in-depth, medical checkup not only confirms your pet’s current health status, but also helps to prevent future problems, such as obesity, periodontal/dental disease, arthritis, and diabetes. The exam findings, and sometimes additional tests such as parasite screens, blood work, and x-rays, can provide a baseline for monitoring changes over the years. Early detection and appropriate management of conditions enables us to initiate appropriate management to improve your pet’s quality and, in many cases, quantity of life.
At the time of your pet’s appointment, we will also have the opportunity to discuss all the ways to keep your pet in good shape and answer all of your questions. We can cover any topic you want in the comfort of an exam room. If your pet is only seen for illness or injury, review of preventive care, long-term nutrition, body condition, chronic dental disease, behavior or mobility changes, amongst others, may not be addressed and optimized moving forward. These topics form the foundation of health and wellbeing for an individual's lifetime. Routine wellness visits allow for review of these, and more!
We’re grateful for your trust in us to recommend what’s best for your pet. And what‘s best for them today is an annual checkup. It's easier than ever to schedule wellness care - call us today, request an appointment online or via your pet portal app, or even head to the home page of this website to direct schedule their checkup. Your pet will be thankful too!
