Why Preventive Care is Important
Wellness exams are essential to helping your pet stay in good physical health their whole lives.
Combined with regular vaccinations, parasite prevention, and proper nutrition, these routine exams consist of regular physical checkups to help give your pet their best chance at excellent lifelong health.
When you take your cat or dog to Pet Vet Battlewood for their routine checkup, we can help keep them from developing health problems or catch them early, when they are most treatable.
What to Expect During Your Pet's Physical
Our Franklin vets will give your cat or dog a complete physical checkup to obtain a full picture of your pet's overall health. Routine wellness exams at our animal clinic include the following elements:
General Condition
The general demeanor and physical condition of your pet can give insights into their overall health. How they stand and walk, their alertness level, and whether they are a healthy weight for their size are all key indicators of their overall health.
Coat & Skin
Throughout your cat or dog's checkup, we'll examine their skin and coat for signs of issues, such as excessive oiliness or dryness, lumps, bumps, dandruff, or abnormal hair loss or shedding.
Face & Head
The eyes, ears, and nose of your pet will be checked for any discharge or abnormalities. We'll also examine their mouth for symptoms of oral health conditions such as plaque buildup or periodontal disease.
Internal Health
Heart rate, rhythm and pulse are very important to the heart health of your pet. We'll test these to make sure they are normal. Then we will examine the lungs for evidence of abnormal breathing.
We'll check the lymph nodes for pain or swelling, and we will also examine the abdomen to see if the intestines, kidneys, bladder, spleen, liver, and stomach all feel normal and that your pet is not displaying any signs of discomfort.
Review of Findings
to conclude your pet's routine wellness exam, your vet will designate time to talk to you about any concerns they might have about the overall health of your cat or dog and discuss your pet's nutritional requirements.
Checkups for Puppies & Kittens
Puppies and kittens require proper medical attention during the first few weeks of their lives to get a healthy start in life.
Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have when it comes to the care of your new furry friend either at your appointments or following your visits.
Once your puppy or kitten's checkup is finished, you'll need to come back periodically for their required booster shots.
Seniors
With the recent advances in veterinary medical knowledge and care, as well as newer therapies and better nutrition options, senior pets are living longer than ever.
While this is great news for pets and their owners, it also means that special attention has to be given to your cat or dog's healthcare routine as they continue to age. When your pet passes middle age, regular examinations become more crucial to ensuring their continuing health and longevity.
On top of the routine wellness procedures we conduct on all adult pets, we will give special attention to your senior cat or dog'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
At your pet's veterinary checkup with our Franklin animal hospital vets, we will look to see if your cat or dog requires preventive care, or if it's time for any of their routine vaccinations.