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Dog Wellness Exams

What is involved in a dog wellness exam?

At CheckOut Vet, dog wellness exams start with a comprehensive physical examination. This includes looking at the mouth, the color of the gums, the teeth, the ears, and the eyes, listening to the heart, feeling the body for lymph node enlargement and any enlarged organs, and checking the legs, feet, toes, tail, and pretty much everything else. Our trained staff will check them from head to tail during the physical exam.

How does dog wellness impact the longevity of my pet?

Early detection of health issues is important in our pets, just as it is in us. If we find anything of concern during a physical exam, we’re going to know that we need to do some additional testing. If we hear a heart murmur, we may want to schedule chest x-rays. If we feel enlarged lymph nodes, we will do some additional testing. If we see anything abnormal, we’ll follow that up with some additional testing. Early detection and being able to initiate treatment early is always the best practice to achieve better longevity.

How soon should I bring my pet in to see a veterinarian for a wellness exam?

We believe that wellness exams start with a puppy’s very first visit around six to eight weeks. We’ll give the puppy a comprehensive physical exam, head to tail. The puppy visits are typically followed up at around 12 and 16 weeks. About a year later, we want to see them back and then, on an annual basis to ensure they are healthy. Once we see a pet in the geriatric age category, when they’re in the last quarter of their life expectancy, we may want to see them twice a year or more often for follow-up exams based on the dog’s medical history.

Will additional testing be needed beyond a wellness exam?

We recommend twice-a-year fecal exams and once-a-year testing for heartworm disease and tickborne diseases, which are common in Wisconsin. Tickborne diseases include Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichia. Those tests are blood tests that we do annually. It’s very important that we keep that up to date. Typically, vaccination boosters are due once a year or every three years, depending on the vaccine. At their wellness visit, we will update your dog on their vaccines.

How will a veterinarian assess dog wellness?

We’ll look at your dog’s body weight to see if it’s changed up or down. We’ll look their body condition, the condition of their hair coat, their mouth, their eyes, their ears, their heart, and their lungs. We’re going to feel the abdomen and check lymph nodes. All these are part of the wellness exam. We’ll also feel for lumps and bumps in the skin. If a patient comes in with a list of things they’re concerned about, such as the lumps, the bumps, and the other things they’ve found – we will assess those concerns as well. Doing a comprehensive physical exam means picking up any early subtle changes.

What are some dog wellness recommendations my veterinarian is likely to make?

Regular dental screenings are important, and if we find an advancing dental disease, we recommend dental cleanings, which require anesthesia. We can do that for you at CheckIn Veterinary. We don’t do anesthesia at Checkout, but regular dental cleanings are important, especially for small-breed dogs. Vaccinations may be done annually or every three years, depending on your pet’s lifestyle and what vaccines they are best suited to have. We’ll assess that based on their lifestyles, like whether your pet goes to the dog park, the groomer, or dog shows. Preventive care will include heartworm, flea, and tick preventatives, along with vaccinations. We want to keep your pet as healthy as possible and prevent parasites, both internal parasites and external parasites, such as worms, ticks, fleas, and heartworm, which are all critical to good long-term health.

What are some possible environmental factors that can affect my dog’s wellness?

Environmental factors that affect your dog’s health can include diet, nutrition, lifestyle, where the pet lives, where they spend their time, and whether they’re hunting dogs or couch potato dogs. All of these things will affect their lifestyle and their wellness. At CheckOut Vet we’re going to tailor their vaccine and preventive needs based on their lifestyle and environment.

Why is early detection of health issues in my dog so important?

Early detection is critical for your dog’s overall health. If we pick up early kidney disease or heart disease, early initiation of treatment can make a big difference in the longevity of your pet. If we find heartworm disease, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, or Ehrlichia, early detection and treatment of those diseases before they cause damage to organs is essential. Years ago, when I graduated from veterinary school, dogs diagnosed with a heart murmur might live six months after that diagnosis. Now, with early detection and some of the new medications, we have the ability to echo dogs, do an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart, see a cardiologist, and get some interventions. We see those dogs living for three to four years. It’s truly remarkable what early detection and new medicine have been able to do for the longevity of our pets.

What is geriatric dog screening?

Geriatric dog screening will include a little bit more in-depth blood tests. For our geriatric dogs, we’ll check their liver, kidneys, and blood counts, we’ll check for thyroid disease, observe their adrenal function and listen to their heart. If they have an eye problem, we’ll check their intraocular pressures. There are a lot of things that we’ll do for a geriatric patient. We might check blood pressure, which by the way, is not as easy as it is for people. All of those things are essential in early detection and interventions for longevity.

Will my veterinarian suggest allergy testing for my dog?

Allergy testing is done on a case-by-case basis. If your dog is suspected of having allergies, from inhaled pollen, fleas, or foods, we may very well suggest allergy testing or refer you to an allergy specialist. If your dog has absolutely no symptoms of allergies, then we’re not going to talk about allergy testing. It depends on your pet’s physical exam findings and the history you bring to us about your pet’s lifestyle.

If pet owners have more questions regarding dog wellness, what should they do?

If you have any additional questions about dog wellness or our wellness exams, give us a call at (608) 318-6700. Our staff at CheckOut Veterinary are happy to help. We can get you in for an appointment and ensure your pet’s getting the best care for the greatest longevity and long-term health. If you still have other questions and you’d like to reach out to us.