Pet Health Care at Crystal Lake Veterinary Hospital

---

A Wellness Exam may also be called a ‘check-up’ or ‘physical exam.’ The focus of a wellness visit is the maintenance of optimal health. It is a routine medical examination of a pet that is apparently healthy, as opposed to an examination of a pet that is ill.

What our Vet will inspect

• How your pet walks and stands
• Whether your pet is bright and alert
• General body condition and weight appropriateness
• Skin and haircoat
• Mouth & teeth
• Nose & face
• Eyes
• Ears
• Stool

What our Vet will listen to

• Heart -- listening for abnormal heart rate, heart rhythm or heart murmurs
• Lungs – listening for rate & depth of breath sounds

What our vet will palpate (the application of the fingers with light pressure)

The purpose for these activities is to feel for pain, swelling, growths or masses, and any other abnormalities that may create future, more serious problems.

• Pulse
• Lymph nodes
• Legs
• Abdomen

Our vet will also ask you questions about your pet’s diet, exercise, behavior patterns, eating & elimination patterns, and overall lifestyle. These factors are important when crafting a health plan for ongoing vitality.

Finally, we always do our best to utilize practices, methods, and tools to help calm your pet and create a low-stress environment. In some cases, you may not even be aware that your Vet is conducting some parts of the wellness exam, particularly if abnormalities are not detected.

The Result

Based on your pet’s history and wellness exam, our Vet will make recommendations for specific preventative medical treatments such as vaccinations, parasite control, nutrition, skin and coat care, weight management or dental care. They may suggest lifestyle changes required for optimal health.

In some cases, additional tests may be recommended. Pets cannot tell you directly how they are feeling, and as a result, disease may be present before you are aware of it. To further complicate matters, our pets’ survival instincts are to hide signs of subclinical disease. This means that any health condition may become highly advanced before your pet shows obvious or recognizable problems. Some of the early warning signs may be detected by your Vet during the physical exam. Subtle changes that are suggestive of underlying issues may be found, prompting recommendation for further testing, such as bloodwork, urinalysis, radiographs, ultrasound, etc.

How Often

That depends! The answer to this question depends on your pet’s age and current health status. During early puppyhood and kittenhood, your pet needs to be seen monthly, while the average adult pet is typically examined annually. For middle aged and geriatric pets, we often recommend semi-annual exams. Our Vet will advise you as when your pet needs to be seen next.