When was the last time your pet visited the veterinarian? Annual or bi-annual wellness screenings are vital to keep your pet as healthy and happy as possible. The Pony Express Veterinary Hospital team knows you want to provide the best possible care for your four-legged friend, so we explain why these appointments are critical to your pet’s wellbeing, and what you can expect at your furry pal’s next wellness visit.

Why are pet wellness screenings necessary?

Taking your pet to the veterinarian can be a hassle, and you may wonder why you should bother, especially if your pet is young and healthy. However, wellness visits are one of the most important aspects of your four-legged friend’s health care plan. Reasons include:

  • Pets hide health problems — You may think your pet has an easy life, but because of their instincts, they are always on guard in case predators are lurking nearby. This means that they often hide vulnerabilities, such as illness and pain, and may not exhibit signs until their condition is advanced. 
  • Pets age faster than humans — You likely believe that you brought your precious puppy or kitten home only yesterday, but they quickly become adults. And, before you know it, they are in their senior years when they are at higher risk for serious health issues such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), arthritis, and cognitive dysfunction. Adult pets should be evaluated once a year by a veterinarian, and senior pets at least twice a year. 
  • Wellness screenings provide a baseline — You know your pet is special and unique, and so are their diagnostic results. Normal values are available for laboratory tests, but every pet has their own “normal” value for each test. Wellness screenings allow our team to establish a baseline for your pet’s diagnostic values, so we can easily track trends and notice mild changes earlier.
  • Early detection offers a better prognosis — Health conditions detected in the early stages are typically easier to treat, which provides your pet with a better prognosis. For example, pets with CKD often don’t exhibit signs until about 70% of their kidney function is lost. If detected in the early stages, before signs occur, treatment typically entails a diet change and ensuring the pet receives adequate hydration, and these pets can usually maintain a good quality of life for an extended time. In the later stages, treatment is extensive and can require numerous medications, subcutaneous fluids, and frequent rechecks. Damage caused by CKD cannot be reversed, and pets in advanced stages usually have a much poorer prognosis. 
  • Preventive care protects your pet from illness — Wellness visits are a great time to provide preventive care such as vaccinations and parasite prevention. Keep your pet current on their vaccinations to protect them from numerous dangerous infectious diseases, and provide year-round parasite prevention to safeguard them against parasites such as heartworms, fleas, ticks, and intestinal worms. 
  • Your questions are answered — During a wellness visit, you and your pet have the veterinarian’s full attention, so come prepared with any questions about your pet’s health or behavior. The Pony Express Veterinary Hospital team will listen closely and address your concerns. 

What should I expect at my pet’s wellness screening?

A pet wellness screening, which is a detailed evaluation to assess your pet’s health, involves:

  • History — You know your pet better than anyone, and we need your input to provide the best care for your pet. Our team asks questions about your pet’s diet, lifestyle, and health history, including their medications or supplements.
  • Physical examination — We thoroughly evaluate your pet from their cold, wet nose to their wagging tail. Issues we may detect during this assessment include:
  • Cataracts — Cataracts can inhibit your pet’s vision, but when they develop slowly, your furry pal may adjust, and not realize they can’t see well.
  • Dental disease — Dental disease is one of the most common conditions affecting pets and during a wellness screening, we evaluate your pet’s mouth, looking for dental disease signs, such as bad breath, inflamed gums, and tooth discoloration.
  • Heart abnormalities — When auscultating (listening to) your pet’s heart, we can detect heart arrhythmias and murmurs that may indicate a heart condition.
  • Swollen lymph nodes — When examining your pet, we may discover swollen lymph nodes, which can indicate issues such as inflammation, tick-borne illnesses, and cancer.
  • Arthritis — Senior pets often have arthritic joints, and our team may recognize a decreased range in motion or crepitus in your pet’s joints.
  • Weight assessment — More than half of U.S. pets are overweight, putting them at higher risk for health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and arthritis. During a wellness screening, our team weighs your pet and evaluates their body condition score (BCS) to determine if they are at a healthy weight. If not, our team can devise a safe strategy to help your pet lose weight. If your pet is underweight, we may recommend further diagnostics to look for an underlying cause. 
  • Blood work — We may perform a complete blood count (CBC) to evaluate your pet’s white and red blood cells, and platelets. This test can detect infection, inflammation, anemia, clotting disorders, and some types of cancer. A biochemistry profile may also be recommended to help us detect issues such as kidney dysfunction, electrolyte imbalances, diabetes, and liver disease. For senior pets, we may also recommend a thyroid panel, since they are at increased thyroid disease risk. 
  • Urinalysis — Evaluating your pet’s urine provides valuable information about their overall health, and can indicate issues such as diabetes, kidney dysfunction, urinary tract infection, and urinary calculi; this is a simple test that may be considered if your pet is exhibiting any signs of urinary issues.
  • Fecal check — Annual fecal checks are important to test for intestinal parasites, such as hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, giardia, and coccidia.  This is a simple, noninvasive test – we only need a fresh stool sample!
  • Heartworm test — The American Heartworm Society recommends annual heartworm testing for all dogs, including those who receive year-round heartworm preventives. These tests can also detect some tick-borne illnesses. If you elect to have this test performed, it is a simple blood draw with same-day results.
  • Vaccines — Our team will devise a vaccination protocol based on your pet’s age, lifestyle, and disease risk.
  • Parasite prevention — We recommend year-round parasite prevention against fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites, and will help you determine the best product for your furry pal. 

If your pet is due for a wellness screening, contact The Pony Express Veterinary Hospital team to schedule an appointment.