The Importance of Preventive Care
Routine wellness exams are key to helping your dog or cat to maintain excellent long-term physical health and well-being.
Combined with regular vaccinations, parasite prevention and proper nutrition, these routine examinations include regular physical checkups to give your pet the best chance at excellent lifelong health.
When you bring your cat or dog in to see our vets for a routine checkup, you are giving us a chance to catch preventable health issues from developing in the first place or identify and address them when they are at their most treatable.
What to Expect During Your Pet's Physical
Our veterinarians provide our Rock Springs dog and cat patients with a comprehensive physical checkup in order to gain an accurate picture of their overall health and well-being. Routine wellness exams at our animal clinic include the following elements:
General Condition
Your pet's general demeanor and condition can actually provide some very helpful indicators of their overall health. How they stand and walk, their level of alertness, and whether they are a healthy weight for their size are all important indicators health and well-being.
Coat & Skin
We will examine your dog or cat's skin and coat for signs of issues during their exam, including excessive dryness and oiliness, bumps and lumps, dandruff or the abnormal loss of hair.
Face & Head
Your pet's eyes, ears, and nose will be examined for abnormalities or discharge. We will also check the mouth for symptoms of oral health problems such as plaque buildup or periodontal disease.
Internal Health
Heart rate and rhythm, pulse, and blood pressure are vitally important to your pet's heart health. We'll test these to ensure they're normal. The lungs will then be examined for evidence of abnormal breathing.
We will check your pet's lymph nodes for swelling and will also examine their abdomen to ensure that their kidneys, bladder, spleen liver and stomach all feel normal and that your companion isn't showing any signs of discomfort.
Review of Findings
At the end of your pet's routine wellness exam, your vet will take the time to discuss any concerns they may have about your pet's overall health and talk to you about your dog or cat's nutritional requirements.
Checkups for Puppies & Kittens
Puppies and kittens need proper medical attention in their first few weeks of life to get off to a healthy start.
We will provide your newest best friend with a comprehensive physical exam, appropriate immunizations and deworming medications. We will also test them for intestinal parasites.
We provide our clients with puppies or kittens with appropriate "kits" of educational materials and samples to help them to care for the newest member of their household.
Please never hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have about caring for your new pet, both at your appointments or following your visits.
Once your puppy or kitten's checkup is complete, you'll return periodically for his or her required booster shots.
Seniors
With recent advances in veterinary medical knowledge and care, as well as newer therapies and better nutrition, senior pets are living longer than ever.
While this is excellent news for pets and their owners, it does mean that extra-special attention needs to be given to your pet's routine healthcare as they age. As your pet grows beyond middle age, their routine exams will become increasingly important to their continuing health, comfort and longevity.
On top of the routine wellness exams and checks that we perform on all of our adult patients, we give special attention to senior pets' geriatric conditions like arthritis and decreased vision.
Additional laboratory tests may be recommended for aging pets to provide more detailed information about your senior pet's overall health and wellbeing.
Vaccinations & Prevention
During the course of your pet's veterinary checkup with our Rock Springs animal hospital, our vet will also check in on whether your pet needs any preventive care or is due for routine vaccinations.