[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″]

Canine Wellness Exams

Annual wellness exams are an important aspect of keeping your furry friend happy and healthy. These annual exams will look over the health of your dog and determine if there are any risk factors present in your animal. We at Buena Vet are experts at completing these exams and will happily complete them for you, all while guaranteeing the quality of the exam.

Wellness Exams…What Are They?

A wellness exam is an exam done on a dog that appears to be healthy. Another common name for this exam is a ‘physical checkup’. The purpose of this exam is to ensure that the dog remains at optimal health. The frequency of these exams will change based on the age of the dog and the recommendation of doctors. When a dog is still a puppy the exams should be completed every month. As the dog moves into adulthood the exams will be moved to an annual basis. As the dog reaches its elder years, the exams should be done twice a year.

Wellness Exams…What Are They?

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https://buenavet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IMG_6087.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6087″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″]

Human Years Vs. Dog Years

It’s well known that animals age at a faster rate than humans. It’s commonly believed that 1 calendar year to humans equals seven dog years but this is a flawed belief. The truth is, 1 calendar year to humans can equal anywhere from four to 15 years to dogs. Why is there such a drastic difference? This answer spans from the fact that puppies will reach maturity much faster than a human can. So, because of this, a dog that is one year old can be compared to a 15-year-old human. They are the equivalent of a 20 to 25-year-old by age 2. After reaching age 2, the general belief is that 1 human calendar year is equivalent to 4-5 dog years. By age 6, your dog will be considered middle-aged.

Why Does Age Matter For Exams?

Age is a crucial factor in determining wellness exams for a few reasons. Firstly, a wellness examination will ensure that your dog is happy and healthy and will maintain that health. The exam looks for any signs of potential disease or other ailments. Dogs are susceptible to different diseases at different ages. When younger, puppies are at a higher risk for Parasites, Parvovirus, Heartworm Disease, and Kennel Cough. As they age, dogs become more susceptible to physical illnesses. As they reach their elder years, the dog’s immune system may weaken. This makes it important to visit your vet twice a year to ensure your dog’s health is optimal and there are early warning signs of potential illness.

What Is The Vet Looking For?

There are a few steps to the wellness checkup process. The first step is questioning the owner. This crucial information from the owner plays a role in the rest of the checkup. After getting the information they need, the vet will then do a physical examination where they look for any visible abnormalities. After that, and arguably the most important step, the vet will palpate your dog for any abnormalities they can feel. This can include spots of discomfort or potential tumors on the dog’s body.

What the vet will ask for

When conducting the wellness exam, the vet is going to ask some key questions. These questions will be about the dog’s diet, behavior, water intake, lifestyle, and general health. The vet will then use these answers, as well as information from previous visits, to make recommendations about your dog’s health. Your vet may discuss anti-flea or parasite medicine for the dog’s coat, a change in diet, joint health, and the overall well-being of your dog. Along with asking questions, the vet will perform a physical examination. During this, the vet is going to look at the dog’s posture, alertness, body condition, muscular condition, as well as excess oil in the skin or excess shedding.

What the vet looks for

When it comes to looking at specific parts of the dog, the vet is going to focus on the face for signs of existing disease. When looking at the eyes, the vet is keeping an eye out for redness, discharge, ‘tearing’, cloudiness, as well as lumps on the eyelids. The vet will also see how the dog closes its eyes. The vet, when taking a look at the ears, looks for discharge, thickness, hair loss, or other issues. The vet will check the nose for symmetry, discharge, how well the dog breathes, and other abnormalities. The mouth is one of the most important parts that the vet will look at. When looking at the mouth and teeth, the vet will look at the color of the gums. Discolor is a sign of disease. The vet will look for other abnormalities such as the buildup of plaque and tartar, ulcers, and excess saliva.

What the vet feels for

Another aspect of the visit is palpitations. Palpitations are the feeling of the dog’s body for any physical abnormalities under the fur, skin, and internal organs. When performing palpitations the vet is going to feel the pulse, ensuring that it’s strong. This makes sure the blood is flowing as it should and the heart is pumping blood efficiently. The vet will also feel for swelling, particularly in the lymph nodes, and any places that cause the animal pain. When feeling the legs, the vet is looking for lameness, lack of movement, or muscular pain. They will also feel for potential problems with the paws or nails. The abdomen is a very important part, so it’s crucial for the vet to feel this as well. When feeling the abdomen, the vet is looking for abnormalities in the intestines, liver, kidneys, and spleen. While feeling for abnormalities, the vet will also see if any areas cause the dog pain or discomfort.

What the vet listens for

Along with the physical side of things, the vet is also going to check the temperature and listen to the heartbeat and breathing of your dog. This crucial information will be recorded and can be used for other visits to the vet. Abnormal breathing or heartbeats are a common sign that there is a disorder present in your dog that could potentially require medication or surgery.

What To Remember

Overall, as you take care of your furry friend, remember to take your dog to its annual wellness check. These are crucial, especially when the dog is younger or elderly. They are the first place that you’ll catch the warning signs of illness, as well as gauge the general health of your dog. Buena Vet is proud to offer this service to any owner.

If you need a wellness check performed or have any questions or concerns, book an appointment with Buena Vet today! We are just one call away.

Feline Wellness Checks- What Should I Know

Annual wellness exams are a crucial aspect of keeping your feline friend happy and healthy. These exams, which should be done once or twice per year, will look over the health of your cat and determine if there are any risk factors for disease showing in your cat. The staff at Buena Vet are expertly trained in these checkups and will gladly complete an exam for you.

Wellness Exams…What Exactly Are They?

A wellness exam is an exam completed on a cat that appears to be healthy. They are also called physical checkups. The purpose of this exam is to ensure that the cat is still very healthy. The frequency of these exams will change based on the age of the cat and the recommendation of doctors. A younger cat should be taken annually but, as the cat ages, the exams should be increased to twice a year.

Human Years Vs. Cat Years

It’s well known that animals age at a faster rate than humans. Unlike dogs, converting human years to cat years follows a similar pattern. Because cat breeds aren’t as drastically different as they are with dogs, they age at a similar rate. Overall, it’s agreed that by the end of the first 2 years of a cat’s life, the cat will be 25 in human years. After this, one human year will usually be around four ‘cat-years’. This is important to remember because, as your cat ages, it will experience the same health ailments as an elderly human.

Why Does Age Matter For Exams?

Age is a crucial factor in determining wellness exams for a few reasons. Firstly, a wellness examination will ensure that your cat is maintaining good health. The exam looks for any signs of potential disease or other ailments. So, because a cat’s immune system weakens as it ages, it becomes crucial to check in with your vet more often.

What Is The Vet Looking For?

There are a few steps to the wellness checkup process. The first step involves the vet asking a series of questions. This crucial information from the owner plays a role in the rest of the checkup. After getting the information they need, the vet will then do a physical examination where they look for any visible abnormalities. After that, arguably the most important step involves the vet performing palpitations. The vet will palpate your cat for any abnormalities they can feel. This can include spots of discomfort or potential tumors on the cat’s body.

What the vet will ask for

When conducting the wellness exam, the vet is going to ask some key questions. These questions will be about the cat’s diet, behavior, water intake, lifestyle, and general health. The vet will then use these answers, as well as information from previous visits, to make recommendations on how to improve your feline friend’s health. Your vet may discuss anti-flea or parasite medicine for the cat’s coat, a change in diet, joint health, and the overall well-being of your cat. Along with asking questions, the vet will perform a physical examination. Let’s take a deeper look into that process.

What the vet looks for

When it comes to looking at specific parts of the cat, the vet is going to focus on the face for signs of existing disease. When looking at the eyes, the vet is keeping an eye out for redness, discharge, ‘tearing’, cloudiness, as well as lumps on the eyelids. The vet will also see how the cat blinks. They’re looking for abnormalities or discomfort. The vet, when taking a look at the ears, will look for discharge, thickness, hair loss, or other issues. The vet will check the nose for symmetry, discharge, how well the cat can breathe, and check for any other abnormalities. The mouth is one of the most important parts that the vet will look at. When looking at the mouth and teeth, the vet will look at the color of the gums. Discolor is a sign of disease. The vet will look for other abnormalities such as the buildup of plaque and tartar, ulcers, and excess saliva.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://buenavet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IMG_6083.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6083″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://buenavet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IMG_6086.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6086″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]

What the vet feels for

The next step in the process is performing palpitations. Palpitations are the part of the visit where the vet massages the cat’s body, checking for any physical abnormalities under the fur, skin, and internal organs. When performing palpitations the vet is going to feel the pulse, ensuring that it’s strong. This makes sure the blood is flowing as it should and the heart is pumping blood efficiently. The vet will also feel for swelling, particularly in the lymph nodes, and any places that cause the animal pain. When feeling the legs, the vet is looking for lameness, lack of movement, or muscular pain. They will also feel for potential problems with the paws or nails. The abdomen is a very important part, so it’s crucial for the vet to feel cautiously. When feeling the abdomen, the vet is looking for abnormalities in the intestines, liver, kidneys, and spleen. While feeling for abnormalities, the vet will also see if any areas cause the cat pain or discomfort.

What the vet listens for

Along with the physical side of things, the vet is also going to check the temperature and listen to the heartbeat and breathing of your cat. This crucial information will be recorded and can be used for future visits to the vet. Abnormal breathing or heartbeats are a common sign that there is a disorder present in your cat that could potentially require medication or surgery.

What To Remember

Overall, as you take care of your feline friend, remember to take your cat to its annual wellness check. These are crucial, especially when the cat is younger or elderly. They are the first place that you’ll catch the warning signs of illness, as well as gauge the general health of your cat. Buena Vet is proud to offer this service to any owner.

If you need a wellness check performed or have any questions or concerns, book an appointment with Buena Vet today! We are just one call away.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]