Our comprehensive Wellness Exam is performed on an annual or semiannual basis to help your pet live a longer healthier life. The wellness exam is a time to focus on health promotion and disease prevention. Because dogs and cats age much more quickly than humans, an exam that is performed annually is similar to you visiting the doctor every 6-8 years.
Components:
- Skin and Coat Analysis A thorough check of your pet's coat and skin provide a good indication of your pet's overall health. Checking for warts and tumors, as well as signs of allergies, nutritional needs, infections, fleas, ticks and other parasites.
- Eye Exam An eye exam can include screening tests for glaucoma, cataracts, tear production, ulcers and injuries. Systemic disease such as anemia, infections, liver, and kidney problems, high blood pressure, and allergies may also be detected via the eye.
- Ear Exam We use a MedRx Videoscope to examine your pet's ears. This hand held camera allows both the owner and the veterinarian to assess the health of the ear. (Owners can see the ear exam on a monitor in the exam room.) Itchy, smelly ears can be a sign of yeast or bacterial infection, allergies or systemic disease. Chronic ear infections can lead to pain, weight loss and decreased hearing.
- Teeth, Tongue, Gums Exam and Cleaning The oral cavity is examined for tartar, bleeding gums, bad breath, fractured teeth or cavities. Many pets have dental diseases but may not show outward symptoms until an advanced stage. Early detection can save teeth and prevent secondary problems such as urinary tract infections or heart and liver disease. We offer complete dental cleaning procedures and have digital dental radiography in order to enhance our ability to diagnose and treat dental disease.
- Heart, Blood Pressure and Lung Exam Careful listening to your pet's heart and lungs, as well as blood pressure measurement, can detect early heart and lung disease. An ECG (electrocardiogram) can be used to evaluate your pet's heart for abnormal heartbeats and rhythms. This test is a painless, noninvasive procedure that can be done in the exam room.
- Arthritis Exam Arthritis affects up to one in five adult dogs. Most pet owners often fail to recognize the condition. Owners often attribute their dog's limping or slowed movements to part of the natural aging process. But arthritis is the most common cause of chronic pain in adult dogs, and although the pain is not life threatening, it can greatly diminish your pet's quality of life. We can help you manage arthritis through proper nutrition, weight management, pain control and exercise.
- Behavior and Socialization
A well-socialized pet is a pleasure. We can help with basic training and socialization thru client education and referrals to area puppy classes. For more complex problems we refer our clients to animal behavior specialists in the area.