Wellness Care
Pets age more quickly than we do, so a year in our life equals 6 to 10 in theirs. The same way our bodies get sick and break down as we age, so do our pets, but much faster. The way to keep your pet healthy for as long as possible is a wellness plan starting with a yearly pet exam with our veterinarian.
What is Wellness Care?
Every pet has different physical, behavioral, and emotional needs. For every pet wellness exam, we examine your pet from head to toe and everywhere in between. By doing this regularly, we identify changes from the previous exam that might need to be addressed. During each yearly pet exam, our veterinarian establishes a strategy for keeping your pet healthy through the coming year and the long term.
What to Expect with your Veterinarian
At Carolina Place Animal Hospital, we bring a unique wealth of skill and expertise in caring for pets and keeping them well. During the yearly pet exam, we check your pet for:
Weight - Our first stop is the scale. If your pet is over or under-weight, the plan will be to modify diet and activity.
Coat, skin and eyes - A dull coat tells us a lot about your pet’s health. We see if the pet’s eyes react properly to light and check to ensure the skin does not have rashes or sores.
Ears - Our veterinarian checks deep into the ear canals as well as ear drums and flaps. Ear mites, infections, irritation and tumors are the primary ear issues.
Dental - During the dental part of the exam, we check the condition of the teeth, look for swelling, bad odors, and tumors. Looking at the gums we can detect periodontal disease.
Nose - Any nasal discharge is something to investigate further.
Heart and lungs - Using a stethoscope, our veterinarian listens to the heart for murmurs and lungs for unusual sounds.
Physical manipulation and stool sample - We palpitate and feel your pet’s abdomen, anal sacs, legs, and joints. We look for tumors or masses and evaluate range of motion and pain. We take a stool sample to check for parasites.
Vaccinations - Vaccinations are a critical piece in the pet wellness exam here at Carolina Place Animal Hospital. They protect pets from otherwise dangerous and life-threatening illness and are necessary to assuring your companion has a long, healthy and happy life.
Additional exam services - If during the exam our veterinarian determines there is something to pursue, we may decide to take your pet’s blood or do an x-ray for more input. As pets get older, blood work will become a standard part of the yearly pet exam.
The staff here at Carolina Place Animal Hospital is committed to the practice of preventive health care for every pet, for each year of their lives. Let us put your pet on the road to superlative wellness care. Contact us to schedule your pet's yearly pet exam.