Customized Wellness Care for the Health of Your Cat or Dog Companion
Many pet owners often wonder why it is necessary to bring their pets in every year for a wellness exam. After all, he or she seems energetic and in good overall health. However, wellness care is important in that it provides the foundation of preventive veterinary medicine.
Consistent annual exams and screenings inform us of changes in muscle mass, weight, behavior, dental health, and more. Diagnostics help us detect subtle changes before they progress into more serious problems.
Cat and Dog Physical Examinations
Your pet’s physical examination is also an important opportunity for us to hear from you. Many pet owners use the wellness exam to ask questions or to provide information about their pet’s baseline of health through at-home observation.
At Blue Cross Animal Hospital, we embrace prevention-based health care and customize your pet’s annual appointment to his or her needs, which changes with age, lifestyle, health status, and new advancements in diagnostics and treatment.
Annual examinations typically include:
- Thorough ”nose-to-tail“ examination and assessment
- Complete history evaluation
- Examination of ears, eyes, and teeth
- Nutritional recommendations
- Behavioral assessment
- Blood work (as needed)
- Parasite control recommendations
- Time for questions and instruction on daily pet care
Parasite Control
Monthly deworming is recommended by researchers and veterinary medical associations. During your pet’s annual exam, we will discuss factors that contribute to your pet’s risk of exposure and create a parasite preventive plan for him or her.
Life-Stage Wellness
Keeping your pet healthy at all ages is the premise of life-stage wellness. For example, kittens and puppies go through important growth stages that demand a diet specific for their development. Young pets also require additional vaccine boosters and preventives to help bolster immunity.
As pets age, they also begin to experience some changes in ear and eye health, oral health, and mobility, along with an increased risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, and liver disease.
All of our wellness care services are life stage specific and address those challenges unique to your pet’s age, lifestyle, and health.
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