Routine pet wellness exams are essential for every dog and cat, as they alert us to any potentially underlying conditions that need to be treated. It’s also a great time to discuss your pet’s at-home care and provide maintenance services such as vaccinations and parasite preventatives. During the pet wellness exam, we take time to listen to any concerns you have about your pet’s medical or behavioral needs and outline a schedule of care for vaccinations and spay/neuter surgery.
Schedule a wellness exam for your pet today by calling (515) 292-0400 or book an appointment online!
Pet Exams Help Us Catch Hidden Medical Concerns
Dogs and cats are good at hiding their discomfort and their pain tolerance is often quite high. At Somerset Veterinary Hospital, we’re trained to spot subtle clues when something is off with your pet. This may lead us to run diagnostic tests in the form of X-rays or bloodwork. In a perfect world, you would never need our pet emergency services and pet wellness care would be your first point of contact for more extensive veterinary services.
Some conditions pet wellness exams help us identify:
- Gingivitis or periodontitis
- Tumors or cancerous growths
- Dermatitis
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Ear infections
- Bladder or urinary tract disease
Maintenance Services Provided During Wellness Exams for Pets
Regular wellness exams are a great time to perform routine maintenance services for your pet. In senior pets (age 7 and up), medical conditions can develop rapidly, making twice-yearly wellness exams necessary. Puppies and kittens will often need more frequent vet visits than adult pets, because they require a series of vaccinations spaced three to four weeks apart.
Many maintenance services can be accomplished at your pet’s wellness exam visit including:
- Parasite control and prevention
- Microchipping
- Nutritional counseling
- Vaccinations
- Dental care