Pet Wellness Exams

What Happens During My Pet's Wellness Exam?

Your Vancouver vet will perform a complete physical examination in order to gain a full understanding of your pet's overall health. Routine cat and dog checkups at our animal clinic include the following elements:

General Condition

When it comes to the overall health and wellness of your pet, their overall physical appearance and condition can provide valuable insight. The way they move around, how alert they are, as well as their size all give your vet an idea of their wellbeing.

Coat & Skin

While your vet is examining your pet they will evaluate their coat and skin for any signs of irritation or possible concerns such as excessive oiliness or dryness, lumps, bumps, dandruff, or abnormal hair loss or shedding.

Face & Head

Your vet will examine your pet's face for any concerning signs of illness or discharge. They will also thoroughly examine your pet's mouth for any oral health or dental concerns such as plaque buildup or periodontal disease. 

Internal Health

Heart rate and rhythm, pulse, and many other heart-related functions are incredibly important to the overall health of your pet. Your vet will evaluate these functions to ensure that they are working at optimal capacity. During this evaluation, your vet will also listen in on the breathing activity of your pet to ensure that there are no abnormalities.

Your vet will examine the lymph nodes for any swelling or unusual signs, as well as examine the abdomen to ensure the intestines, kidneys, bladder, spleen, liver, and stomach all feel normal, and that your pet is not exhibiting any signs of discomfort. 

Review of Findings

Once the evaluation has been completed, your vet will discuss anything they noted during the exam, provide a potential diagnosis as well as next steps for further examinations or testing and possible treatment options. They may also take this time to discuss recommended dietary requirements for your pet.

Puppy & Kitten Checkups

It is important that new puppies and kittens receive the proper veterinary care during the first year of their lives.

During your first visit with your new companion, we will complete a full examination, administer all recommended immunizations, and deworming medication. During this visit, we will also test your furry friend for any potential parasites that could cause them discomfort. Your vet will also provide you with educational material to help you to get off to a good start with your new pet. If you ever have any concerns about your new puppy or kitten do not hesitate to reach out anytime. We are happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Once you have completed your first visit, your vet may suggest a routine schedule for you to return for booster shots. 

Senior Pet Wellness Checkups

Pet care has had some incredible advancements that allow us to provide care like never before, which allows us to help keep our pets happy and healthy for longer than ever before.

Having our pets live longer lives is a great step but it also comes with added responsibility as their needs change while they age and they will require some extra care. Routine exams will be required and performed more often in order to provide thorough and proactive care for your senior pet.

While we will continue performing the usual physical checkups on your pet we will also be paying extra attention to monitoring for conditions that typically only develop or worsen during the senior years such as arthritis or decreased vision.

Your vet may also recommend that your pet receive extra diagnostic testing during their routine appointments to ensure adequate proactive care.