What to Expect During Your Pet’s Annual Exam
If you own a pet, you know how much your furry friend means to you. According to recent findings, 95% of American pet owners view animals as part of their family. Whether they help with your mental health or act as playmates, pets go a long way in making your life better. The least you can do is guarantee your pet’s well-being by bringing them in for annual vet exams.
You may spend a lot of time with your animal pal, but small weight and behavioral changes could go unnoticed. That’s why you need a professional to monitor your pet’s health. By catching diseases early, annual exams prevent unnecessary suffering and reduce the treatment budget. Although every vet has their routine, expect the following checks during an annual exam.
Physical Exams
The vet assesses different parts of your animal’s body including:
Skin: If the skin has saliva stains, your pal might be licking an area too much because of pain. Vets also search for mites, fleas, and ticks. Another sign of distress is lumps, wounds, and scrapes. That’s not to mention flaky skin resulting from poor diet and metabolic issues.
Ears: Your vet looks for itchiness, hair loss, wax build-up, polyps, and ear mites. Apart from the outer flap, the doctor may examine the inner ear for any signs of infection.
Eyes: The doctor checks for redness, discharge, abnormal tearing, and eyelid problems. Healthy eyes should be bright, clear and have no redness.
Mouth: Bleeding gums, excessive salivation, bad breath, and discharge point toward dental disease. The vet also looks for mouth ulcers, lip staining, and broken teeth.
Nose: The nose shouldn’t have wounds or discharge. If your animal buddy starts to sneeze, chances are they have an infection or foreign body blocking their nasal passage.
Chest: The vet uses a stethoscope to check the heart rhythm and listen for any murmurs. They also examine the lungs for abnormal breathing patterns. Furthermore, the doctor will feel the abdomen for any discomfort around the bladder, liver, kidney, stomach, and intestines and feel for any masses.
Tests
Although a physical exam reveals some conditions, additional tests are still necessary. For instance, your furry friend may go on a scale to ensure they’re not obese or losing weight to underlying conditions.
Likewise, the vet can take fecal samples to look for gastrointestinal parasites. Urinalysis could also reveal bacteria, urinary tract infections, and crystals as well as liver and kidney conditions. Not forgetting blood work that tests for systemic diseases, infections, and other blood abnormalities. If your pet has a microchip, annual checks are an opportunity to check its condition.
Vaccinations
By boosting immunity from a young age, vaccines protect your pet, household, and other animals from serious illnesses. In addition to this, the Rabies vaccine is a requirement per California law. The government could impound your pet buddy or impose a fine if you ignore this vaccination.
Vaccines fall into two categories. The first type is core vaccines that apply to every pet irrespective of their location and age. While dogs need protection from Rabies, Distemper, and Parvovirus, cats require Feline Herpesvirus, Feline Distemper, and Calicivirus vaccines. On the other hand, vets administer non-core vaccines based on the animal’s environment and medical history.
Examples of these are the kennel cough vaccine, Influenza, and Leptospirosis for dogs, and feline leukemia virus protection for cats.
Note that vaccinations aren’t mandatory during annual visits. However, the vet could give a booster to stimulate the immune system and extend protection. They can also create a schedule for future vaccinations and even send reminders for upcoming shots.
Preparing for Annual Exams
Prepare information about the pet’s diet and medications before showing up for the exam. You can also note any concerns about your pet’s behavior and exercise habits. Remember, annual exams benefit every animal. However, young pets, senior animals, and particular breeds require more frequent checks.
Contact us to make an appointment today!
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