As adult animals, dogs and cats should have an annual wellness exam regardless of if they need vaccines or have any health concerns. Puppies and kittens often need more frequent exams and senior pets may benefit from having wellness exams every 4-6 months. 

Exams

This is the time that your veterinarian will perform a thorough evaluation of your pet including examining their oral health, skin health, joint health, and detect any new masses or growths, among other things. It allows veterinarians to find health issues early and make recommendations to prevent these issues from turning into a more serious problem. Considering that our pets age more quickly than we do, a lot can change in a year or even 6 months.

Preventive Care

A vet can also make any additional preventative recommendations including blood and urine testing, vaccine recommendations for the lifestyle of your pet, joint supplement recommendations, weight and diet recommendations. There are times when preventive recommendations may change, such as if there is a disease outbreak, we may need to administer additional vaccines to your pet. There may also be recommendations made that will improve your pets quality of life such as adding joint supplements during the early signs of arthritis or having their teeth cleaned so dental & gum disease doesn’t progress. We can also discuss any behavior concerns and work on a plan to improve those. As a pet ages, their health often changes quickly. A small mass can become suddenly large or a little bit of stiffness can turn into difficulty getting up. Checking blood work can detect additional medical issues early so we can help get your pet on appropriate medications, diets or supplements. Discussing any health concerns at the beginning of the disease can lead to more successful results long term. 

At Pawtown, we are here to help keep your pets healthy as we know they are a central part of your life!