What to Expect When You Attend a Wellness Exam for Your Pet

Taking your cat or dog in for routine exams is the best way to prevent and identify a variety of health issues in your pet. In this article, our Staten Island vets discuss what you can expect when you bring your pet in for a wellness exam.

The Importance of Routine Wellness Exams

Ideally, your pet should be seen for a routine physical exam by your veterinarian once or twice a year, even if the animal seems perfectly healthy. Regular wellness checkups for dogs and cats help you and your vet team support your pet's good health and happiness.

By regularly attending wellness checks even when your pet seems healthy, you allow your veterinarian to assess your pet's general health and test for diseases, illnesses, and conditions that can be hard to detect. 

Early detection and treatment of potentially serious medical conditions is beneficial. During the checkup, your veterinarian has two objectives: to prevent health conditions from developing where possible and to detect early signs of disease so that they can be treated before they progress to more serious problems.

Getting Ready for Your Pet's Routine Exam

Your vet needs some basic medical information about your canine or feline companion, especially if this is your pet's first wellness check with us. Bring notes about your pet including their:

You may also want to bring a favorite blanket or toys for comfort. While dogs should be on a leash, cats should be in a carrier.

What do dog and cat wellness exams consist of?

When you take your pet to the veterinarian, the doctor will review your animal's medical history and ask about any concerns you may have. The veterinarian will inquire further about your pet's diet, exercise routine, thirst level, bowel movements, urination, and other aspects of their lifestyle and behavior.

In some cases, you’ll be asked to collect and bring along a fresh sample of your pet’s feces (bowel movement) so a fecal exam can be completed. These diagnostic tests can help to identify whether problematic intestinal parasites are present which may be otherwise difficult to detect.

Next, the vet will perform a physical examination of your pet. While this is not an exhaustive list, these are some of the steps in a routine veterinary exam of your pet:

• Measuring their gait, stance, and weight
• Listening to your pet’s lungs and heart with a stethoscope
• Checking the eyelids for any issues, in addition to examining their eyes for signs of cloudiness, discharge, excessive tearing, cloudiness, or redness
• Assessing your pet for any signs of illness such as limited motion or signs of swelling or pain by palpating (feeling along) their body.
• Feeling the abdomen to check internal organ function and to check for signs of pain or discomfort
• Examining your pet's nails and feet for signs of health issues or conditions
• Checking inside your pet’s ears for signs of wax buildup, polyps, ear mites, or bacterial infection
• Inspecting their teeth for signs of decay, damage, or periodontal disease
• Examining your pet's fur, skin, and/or coat to assess overall condition, as well as look for signs of abnormal hair loss, dandruff, unusual lumps, or bumps

If your vet finds no cause for concern, the wellness check is usually completed fairly quickly and with few issues. They may even chat with you as they do so. If an issue is identified, your vet will explain what they have noticed and recommend the next steps or potential treatments for your pet.

Annual vaccinations are also administered during a cat or dog checkup, based on your animal’s appropriate schedule.

How long does a vet check-up take?

You might be wondering how long veterinary appointments take. Typically, they take around 30-45 minutes, depending on the reason for the visit and any additional tests or procedures that may be required.

Additional Tests

Along with the basic checkup topics covered above, your veterinarian may recommend additional wellness testing. Remember that, in most cases, early detection and treatment of serious diseases is less expensive, invasive, and stressful for your pet than treating the condition once it has progressed.

Tests for blood count, thyroid hormone testing, and a urinalysis may be done in addition to diagnostic testing like X-rays and imaging.

Frequency of Wellness Exams

A few factors will affect the frequency with which you take your pet to a wellness checkup, including their age and medical history.

If your pet has a history of illness but is currently healthy, we recommend scheduling a twice-yearly wellness check with your vet to ensure your pet stays as healthy as possible. Your vet can examine your pet and tell you how often they should come in for a physical exam. 

Since your puppy or kitten's immune system is still developing, young pets can be more susceptible to some illnesses that adult pets are easily able to overcome. To provide your young pet with the care they need during their formative months, your vet might recommend booking a monthly checkup for the first few months. 

An adult pet can typically have an annual exam if they have no previous medical problems. Senior dogs, cats, and giant breed dogs are at a higher risk of developing additional conditions and should see a veterinarian more frequently to monitor for early symptoms of illness. In these cases, it's a good idea to take your pet in for a twice-yearly cat or dog checkup.

Following Your Pet's Exam

Once your pet has been physically examined, had any diagnostic tests run on them, and given their annual vaccines, your vet will dedicate time to explaining their findings.

If your vet has found signs of injury, illness, or current or potential conditions, they will recommend more detailed diagnostics or potential treatment options to help.

If your pet is generally healthy, this discussion may focus on improving or maintaining their current exercise and diet routines, caring for your pet's oral health, and ensuring that essentials such as appropriate parasite prevention are monitored.

Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.

Is your cat or dog due for a routine wellness exam? Contact our Staten Island vets to book an appointment today.