Annual Wellness Checkups

 To help ensure a long and healthy life, it's important to have your pet examined by a veterinarian at least once per year. 

During their annual wellness checkup, the doctor starts with a physical examination. This is done to help catch any potential problems such as deformities, growths, areas of pain or discomfort, or motility issues.

During the visit, we'll discuss your pet’s health, and you’ll have the opportunity to convey anything that may be concerning you, such as changes in behavior or appetite, or anything else that’s changed since the last visit. Your vet will also ask you specific questions in order to highlight common potential issues, as well as to get a better sense of the animal’s lifestyle at home.

Next, your pet’s file will be carefully reviewed, with an eye toward ensuring that all preventative treatments and any local government mandated animal treatments are brought up to date during the annual wellness checkup. These may include things like vaccinations, diagnostic testing, and parasite control treatments.

 Vaccines are an important part of any pet health plan. They help animals fight disease before it takes hold, and helps keep pet populations safe from infection. To see exactly why vaccines are so important and how best to ensure your pet’s safety, it’s critical to understand how they work

Which Vaccines Does My Pet Need?

Your pet needs “core” vaccines (these are suggested for all patients) and may need “non-core” vaccines (these are based on lifestyle and location). Core vaccines for dogs include Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper, Infectious Canine Hepatitis and Rabies. Core vaccines for cats include Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Calicivirus, Feline Rhinotracheitis and Rabies. Depending on your individual pet, your vet may recommend other vaccines, such as Bordetella, Lyme and Flu for dogs, and Feline Leukemia for cats.