Pet Wellness Exams
Cat & Dog wellness exams are critical to helping your pet maintain good long-term physical health.
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 for their routine pet checkup, we are able to prevent health issues from ever developing in the first place in your pet, or catch them early and when they are at their most treatable.
What to Expect During Your Pet's Wellness Exam
Our San Diego veterinary team will provide your cat or dogs with a comprehensive physical checkup in order to gain a complete picture of their overall health. Routine pet wellness exams at San Diego Bay Animal Hospital generally include the following elements:
General Condition
Your pet's general demeanor and physical condition can provide clues to 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 of overall health.
Coat & Skin
During your pet's routine checkup, we will examine your cat or dog's coat and skin for signs of health problems. These can include excessive oiliness, dryness, bumps, lumps, dandruff and 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.
Your pet's lymph nodes will be checked for swelling and pain. And our vets will also examine their abdomen to make sure that their intestines, kidneys, spleen, liver and stomach all feel normal and that your pet isn't showing signs of discomfort.
Review of Findings
At the end of your pet's 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.
Pet 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 new best friend with a comprehensive physical exam, deworming medications and any appropriate immunizations. We will also test your pet for any intestinal parasites.
We provide puppy and kitten packages to all of our patients, including comprehensive preventative vaccinations and examinations as well as expert guidance to help you through your pet's critical first year of life.
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 special attention will need to be paid to your senior pet's routine healthcare as they grow older. When your pet grows beyond middle age, routine exams become increasingly important for their continued comfort, health and longevity.
In addition to the routine wellness procedures we perform on all adult pets, we will give special attention to your senior pet's potential geriatric conditions, such as arthritis or 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 your cat or dog's routine pet checkup with San Diego Bay Animal Hospital, our vets will also check whether or not your companion requires preventative care or if they are due for routine vaccinations.