Your pet can benefit greatly from regular wellness examinations or checkups. Whether your pet is a youngster, a “senior citizen,” or any age in between, a wellness exam is an essential part of their healthcare. A wellness exam allows us to conduct a thorough physical examination and develop a health profile for your pet. This information will help us identify medical problems and other issues affecting your pet’s health and quality of life.
Wellness Exam
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This Benjamin Franklin quote originally directed at the prevention of forest fires has been adopted as a motto by the health care community. As veterinarians we dedicate our efforts to promoting wellness as well as treating illness.
A wellness examination includes an evaluation of all of your pet’s major organ systems. We’ll use the wellness visit to ask you questions about your pet’s behavior, appetite, exercise habits, and regular activities at home. You can also tell us about any changes in your pet’s general behavior or health that you have noticed. Behavioral changes may indicate that further examination is needed.
It is best that your pet receives a wellness examination at least every year. This gives us a chance to see them frequently enough that any problems can be found and addressed before turning into something more serious. Depending on your specific pet’s situation, we may recommend more frequent exams. We will work with you to make a plan tailored for your pet.
Puppy and Kitten Packages
At College Hills Veterinary Hospital, we offer puppy and kitten packages to get your new pet off to a healthy start. We offer a variety of vaccines for your pet to prevent potentially life-threatening diseases. When you bring your pet for a checkup, we can go over their exact vaccination schedule and answer any questions you might have. A complete physical exam, parasite screening and prevention and questions about diet, house breaking and litter box training as well as spaying and neutering will be addressed.
Annual Physicals & Vaccinations
Annual wellness exams are a great time to be sure your pet is up to date on its vaccinations. Annual physical examinations, including dental exams, parasite screening and prevention, weight management and enrichment strategies are the mainstay for annual wellness for pets ages 1-7 years.
Senior Pet Wellness Exams
It is a privilege to care for our patients in their golden years as we strive to make this time as healthy and happy as we can for your pet. Unfortunately, our pets age more rapidly than we do and senior and geriatric patients require more frequent examinations. We will help you to understand the aging process, identify any underlying health conditions that must be addressed and answer your questions and concerns. Medical management of the senior or geriatric patient requires routine bloodwork, urinalysis and often diagnostic imaging to successfully diagnose and treat underlying disease. Even if we are already treating your senior for a medical condition, treatment recommendations can change as a condition or disease progresses. Sometimes medication dosages need to be adjusted, or medication may need to be changed.
Summary
We welcome your questions and encourage you to be involved in decisions regarding your pet’s health care. No question is too small or too silly, and it is our pleasure to address your concerns. We strive to help you understand your pet’s health considerations.
Finally, wellness examinations help us establish a relationship with you and your pet. We get to know your pet and learn about their lifestyle, personality, health risks, home environment, and other important information.
We want to do everything we can to keep your pet in the best health that they can be for many years to come. For this reason, we encourage you to use wellness examinations to take an active role in your pet’s health care. Schedule a wellness examination today!
From all our staff, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Dr. Kim Stewart
College Hills Veterinary Hospital
