Wellness exams are a cornerstone of your pet’s lifelong good health. At PetCare Animal Hospital, we offer wellness exams for adult and senior animals and first wellness exams for puppies and kittens.
Puppies & Kittens
It’s important for new puppies and kittens to be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible after adoption for a number of reasons. Most importantly, young animals don’t have full immunity, so they need to have a series of vaccinations given at specific intervals to make sure they are safe from various diseases that can be life-threatening for them at such a young age. Puppies and kittens should also have parasite screening and worming, and this first exam is a good time for you to have the veterinarian answer your questions about nutrition, behavior, and other aspects of caring for your new pet.
Adult Pets
Even if your pet seems healthy, the fact is that dogs and cats instinctively hide symptoms of illness and injury–so those signals are easy to miss. There are also some life-threatening conditions that have no symptoms at all until they are very advanced. This is why we highly recommend annual exams and health screenings for all adult pets.
At an adult pet wellness exam, our veterinarian will assess your pet’s physical health from nose to tail and perform a diagnostic work-up, which includes blood, fecal, and urine screenings.
One important aspect of this exam will be dental check-up. Most pets over the age of three have some evidence of periodontal (dental) disease, and left untreated, it can eventually cause serious and painful health problems for your pet. At PetCare Animal Hospital, we suggest to our clients that all pets have regular dental exams and anesthetic cleanings.
Senior Pets
We love senior pets! Wellness exams are especially important for older animals, and we recommend they be seen twice per year if possible. Animals age much faster than we do, so disease and illness progress much faster as well. The earlier we catch changes or issues the sooner treatment can begin for better outcomes. Your veterinarian will also likely recommend a senior blood screening, as this is one of the best ways to assess how an older animal’s internal organs are functioning.
Long-Term Medication Evaluation
Many pets have chronic illnesses or pain that requires long-term management with medication. It’s important that these pets be monitored closely for reactions and side-effects of these drugs. Testing for organ function and to ensure the medication is still working properly should be part of a pet’s wellness exam if they have been taking medication for a long period.
Our veterinarians can advise you which vaccinations are required or recommended for your pet based on age, health, and lifestyle. Make sure your pet is protected–call us at 470-310-0112 or make an appointment online.