Wellness Care Designed to Protect Pet Health
Regular wellness visits are preventative and keep your pet happy and healthy for years to come! Based on age and existing conditions, exams should be scheduled annually or semi-annually to provide the most optimal care.
Examinations
Did you know dogs and cats age five to ten years for every one human year? Routine wellness exams help to monitor for health changes that may occur as your pet ages.
During a wellness exam, your pet will receive a complete nose-to-tail physical exam which assesses for physical conditions of major bodily systems such as eyes, ears, nose, mouth, skin and hair, lymph nodes, legs and joints, abdomen, heart, and lungs.
What to Expect:
- A comprehensive nose-to-tail physical exam
- Recommended vaccinations and diagnostic screening tests
- Assess changes in health and indications of illness such as weight gain or loss
- Discuss your pet’s behavior, diet, exercise habits, and regular activity level
- Answer any and all of your questions!
Vaccinations
Vaccines are a win-win for you and your pet! At some point, your companion will inevitably be exposed to an infectious condition based on factors such as lifestyle, age, health status, and risk of exposure. Vaccinations provide protection against these preventable life-threatening diseases – while saving yourself money from costly treatments!
Our team will help you develop an individualized vaccination protocol for your pet based on their lifestyle and risk factors. The following are vaccines that are offered at Lakewood Animal Hospital:
Dogs:
- Canine Distemper / Parvovirus (DHPP)
- Leptospirosis
- Rabies
- Lyme
- Bordetella (kennel cough)
- Canine Influenza Virus
Cats:
- Feline Distemper (FVRCP)
- Rabies
- Feline Leukemia Virus
Parasite Control
How Do I Protect My Pet From Parasite Infestation?
- Routine testing (fecal exam, heartworm test)
- Preventative medication
- Control parasites in and around your home
- Know the signs/symptoms
- Discuss treatment options
Fleas and Ticks are external parasites that irritate the skin and commonly cause skin allergies. Fleas can transmit tapeworms and Bartonella. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease by latching onto the skin and feeding on blood. It is important to visually check your pet for signs of fleas or ticks daily. Once-a-month preventable products are recommended, but the fleas and ticks in our area are resistant to some products. Currently the best products to control external parasites for dogs in our area is Simparica Trio or Credelio; and for cats the best option is Revolution Plus.
Intestinal Parasites are present in virtually all areas of the United States. This results in a fairly high infection rate in puppies and kittens, but cats and dogs are also commonly infected. Intestinal parasites can also be transmitted to humans. To protect your entire family, we recommend annual fecal testing and once-a-month preventatives. For dogs we recommend Simparica Trio, Interceptor Plus, or ProHeart12. For cats we recommend Revolution Plus.
Heartworms reside in the heart, lungs, and bloodstream and impair blood circulation, resulting in damage to the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. While significant damage may occur prior to outward symptoms, advanced symptoms include difficulty breathing, coughing, tiring easily, low energy, loss of weight, and fainting. Mosquitos carry and transmit heartworms, making mosquito infested areas extremely high-risk. We recommend annual heartworm testing as well as preventives such as Simparica Trio, Interceptor Plus or ProHeart12.
Microchipping
Microchipping provides a lifetime of identification if you and your pet are ever separated. With your contact information registered to the ID number embedded in the microchip, you and your pet can be reunited! While collars and ID tags are helpful and encouraged, they are not foolproof. These forms of identification commonly fall off, get lost, or removed. For the protection of your pet, we recommend using both forms of identification.
Since the needle required to place the microchip is pretty big, the best time to have a microchip placed is when your pet is anesthetized for their spay/neuter surgery or dental procedure for teeth cleaning. However, we can still place a microchip in an awake patient if needed. The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is implanted between the shoulder blades, much like a routine vaccination.
Nutrition & Weight Management
Avoid sharing human food with your pet to protect against food allergies, accidental poisoning, and obesity. Keep in mind that your pet’s nutritional needs are unlike your own. Factors such as age, health condition, gender, weight, and breed effect overall recommended nutrition. Based on these factors, we may recommend a specialized diet or simply a balanced diet. Please note, a sudden change in your pet’s eating habits or unexpected weight gain or loss may indicate a serious, underlying concern.
If your companion suffers from nutritional challenges such as liver disease, renal failure, bladder and kidney stones, food allergies, or obesity – we can offer professional advice and solutions.
We carry commonly prescribed Hill’s Prescription Diets in our hospital. If you prefer other prescription brands, these products can be specially ordered from our online pharmacy.
