Wellness-Exam

Wellness Exam

As a responsible pet owner, you want your pet to stay happy, active, and healthy. One of the most important things you can do is schedule routine wellness exams. At Dry Creek Veterinary Center, we practice preventative medicine to help us identify and address health issues during your pet’s wellness exam.

What to Expect During a Wellness Exam

Wellness exams are not just routine checkups. They are a full physical evaluation of your pet’s eyes, ears, mouth, heart, lungs, and joints. They will also check your pet’s weight, body condition, and behavior. Certain vaccinations, bloodwork, and parasite control are also determined during your dog’s wellness exam based on your pet’s age, breed, and lifestyle. These exams are also used to build a health history on your dog/cat to help us identify changes health status changes. They also provide you the opportunity to ask us about what pet food is best for your dog, what kind of exercise is best, and address behavior issues.

Why Wellness Exams Matter

The fact that many pet illnesses are asymptomatic is the main reason that routine pet exams are critical. Many conditions, such as heart disease, arthritis, or kidney problems, start without obvious symptoms. Early intervention is the most effective and cost saving. Every stage of your pet’s life is important. Young pets get vaccinations and adult pets maintain their health through routine exams, and senior pet exams help us identify and treat issues that are common in senior pets before they are too severe.

Personalized Care

We at Dry Creek Veterinary Center make every effort to individually tailor every wellness exam to the needs of the pet including its age, breed, lifestyle, and medical history. From growing puppies and kittens to elderly pets, we provide proactive care that will support the health of your pet with compassion, attention, and expertise.

Frequently Ask Questions

To the untrained eye, a wellness exam may appear to be a mere formality. However, it plays a crucial part in determining the health of your pet after many years to come. It offers the veterinarian the opportunity to address any of its medical needs and to keep its vaccinations updated. At Dry Creek Veterinary Center your veterinarian in Roseville, CA, we believe it is better to prevent that to react. We consider wellness exam to be a form of preventative medicine.

What Happens during a Wellness Exam?

A wellness exam begins with a complete physical examination. The vet may check any of the following:

 

- Weight & body fat percentage

 

- Heart rate & respiratory rate

 

- Skin, fur, and ears

 

- Teeth & gums

 

- Eyes & vision

 

We may also discuss your pet's eating and energy levels, urination and defecation, and all other concerning issues in your home environment. Depending on the vet's guidance there may be blood tests, stool tests, and other tests that may be necessary to evaluate the issues more thoroughly.

How Often Should My Pet Get a Wellness Exam?

For most cats and dogs, it is best to start with one per year. If it is a senior pet, or one with chronic health conditions, then it may be more frequent, at every six months. Puppies, kittens, and newly adopted pets may need multiple visits to monitor growth and development, complete vaccinations, and establish a health plan.

Are Vaccines Included in a Wellness Exam?

Vaccinations are sometimes included with a wellness exam, and if a pet is due to get some, we are able to do it during a trip to the vet. We do unto other pets as we would want done to us with regard to preventative and therapeutic treatment. Some pets will need to be vaccinated against core and non-core diseases.

What If My Pet Seems Completely Healthy?

Animals are great at hiding health problems, so it is better to come in when there are no obvious health problems. Regular check-ups help veterinarians identify different health problems and how they are related. It also helps to adjust pet's diet, level of exercise, and how to prevent health problems in the future.

What Should I Bring to the Exam?

If it is a first appointment, or if your pet has received treatment at other clinics, it is helpful to bring some records. It's helpful to bring a list of current medications and dietary supplements.