Pet wellness checks are when your veterinarian sees your pet to check their overall health and wellness. We recommend these checks on a yearly basis so that we can catch a health problem before it becomes a serious illness. Since your pet cannot vocalize his feelings, you must rely on regular physical examinations (pet wellness exams) by a veterinarian and your at-home observations to assess your pet’s health.
During the wellness exam your veterinarian…
may also wish to perform diagnostic tests, including blood tests and/or x-rays, to evaluate your pet’s health. Routine blood testing, urinalysis (urine testing) and other tests are recommended for all pets in their “senior years.”
Your veterinarian may recommend routine blood testing and urinalysis for younger pets to establish baseline values, which can be used for comparison as pets age.
HOW OFTEN DOES MY PET NEED A WELLNESS EXAM?
Every year for a dog or cat is equivalent to five to seven human years, so it is important that your pet receives a wellness exam at least every year, and more often when he enters his senior years. Many aspects of your pet’s health can change in a short amount of time, so make sure your pet does not miss even one exam!
Similar to people, pets need to visit the veterinarian more often as they get older in order to prevent and treat illnesses that come with age (visit Senior Pet Care for more information). AAHA recommends that healthy dogs and cats visit the veterinarian once a year for a complete exam and laboratory testing.
Healthy senior dogs and cats should receive a wellness exam and lab testing every six months. Depending on your pet’s age and health, your veterinarian will suggest an appropriate physical examination schedule to help keep your pet in tip-top shape.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING MY PET’S WELLNESS EXAMINATION?
Your veterinarian will want to know as much as you can tell them about your pet’s health history. They will ask about symptoms such as coughing, diarrhea, changes in eating or drinking, vomiting, weight loss or weight gain.
If you have any questions about our services, please contact us today at (604) 521-0781.