A Comprehensive Guide to Pet Wellness Exams

Do you have a pet that you want to take the best care of and provide your furry friend with the best life possible? The health and well-being of your pet is always a concern, and one of the best things you can do is provide your pet with wellness check-ups. Whether you own a dog, cat, bird, or reptile, frequent pet wellness exams are important for animals. Bringing them in for an exam can mean the difference between staying healthy and finding out about a problem early.

In this blog, we'll explore the pet wellness exam, what it includes, why it is important, and how often your pets should visit a vet.

What Absolutely Happens During a Pet Wellness Exam?

A pet/dog wellness exam refers to an assessment of the pet’s health that involves an extensive evaluation of the pet’s health status with an eye on prevention as well.

Here’s a detailed explanation of what typically happens during these exams:

Physical Examination: The clinician will perform a general body check on your pet. They will touch and assess each part from the head to the tail: the skin, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, gums, and lymph nodes. They’ll listen to the heart and lungs, examine the abdomen through touch, and check the joints’ range of motion to identify any complications.

Vaccinations: Another aspect of the pet wellness exam that remains important is getting vaccinations every now and then to avoid getting sick. Your vet will recommend what vaccines your pet is due for and any other immunity booster and then give your pet its shots.

Blood Tests: Blood work is something that needs to be done routinely because it indicates the general health of your companion animal. Routine tests include hemograms. Hemograms consist of a Complete Blood Count (CBC). A CBC can reveal situations such as anemia, infection, or other abnormalities. Additionally, hemograms include a biochemical profile, which assesses one's current organ function.

Why Are Regular Wellness Exams So Important for Preventive Care?

Early Disease Detection: Regular dog wellness exams are worth it to identify diseases early. Prompt identification of diseases makes them easier to defeat. This applies to dental diseases. Dental diseases can be linked with systemic diseases, such as diabetes or kidney diseases.

Maintaining Vaccination Schedules: Another way of ensuring that your pet is healthy is to take them for regular vaccinations to help prevent any contagious diseases. This is done through periodic exams, which keep no vaccinations dropped. This offers total coverage.

Monitoring Overall Health: By monitoring overall health, the vet can compare the new images with the old ones. Thus, it is easy for the doctor to identify any changes that may indicate health complications.

How Often Should Your Pets Have Wellness Exams?

Dogs: Puppies should see their vet for a health check routine and vaccinations every month up to about four months. Just like humans, adult dogs require yearly dog wellness exams. And the dogs that are over seven years old are recommended to visit the vet every six months.

Cats: Kittens should follow the same eating plan as puppies, with examinations at one month of age. Typically, healthy adult cats should have an annual physical examination, while those that are considered senior (over seven years old) should be checked every six months.

Birds: Most birds, like mammals, need once-a-year checkups as a routine health practice. However, newly bred or newly purchased birds might require more frequent visits at the beginning in order to check up on their health status and their welfare within the environment.

Reptiles: All reptiles, including snakes, lizards, and turtles, should be taken to see a veterinarian at least once a year. Perhaps new or young reptiles require frequent visits, especially in their initial twelve months in captivity or in a new environment.

Ensure Your Pet’s Health with Regular Wellness Exams

In conclusion, pet wellness exams are an essential feature of any comprehensive pet care program that ensures the health and welfare of animals.

When it comes to pet wellness exams, let the friendly staff at Atlas Pet Hospital take good care of your pets. Their expert staff is committed to offering your pet the care that is necessary for your lovely pet to live a comfortable life.

So, don’t wait to fix a favorable date; get the dog wellness examination now.