General Medicine

Pet check-ups are recommended 1-2 times per year, depending on the age and health of your pet. Whether your pet is a youngster, “senior citizen,” or any age in between, wellness exams provide an excellent opportunity for vets to conduct a thorough physical examination and develop a health profile for your pet.

Ideally, your pet should be checked at least once a year, and more frequently as they get older or if they have special medical needs. Regular visits play a huge part in the ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach. Not all our pets show signs of illness at early stages, a routine check up might give us the opportunity to spot any possible disease. The vet will check your pet over, including listening to their heart and lungs, running their hands over their abdomen to check for any unusual signs, checking for skin/coat, eye and ear problems and scanning their microchip to see if it’s all in working order.

Another advantage of these annual check-ups is to get your pet used to vet visits when they’re well. If they only get visits when they’re hurt or ill they can become nervous about seeing the vet, associating their trips with bad times or stressful experiences.

A nurse visit from time to time for just a weight update, microchip check, maybe some nail clipping, would be a good opportunity for a relaxed encounter with the vet team.