How Often Should My Pet Have a Wellness Exam?
Most healthy adult dogs and cats should visit the veterinarian for a wellness exam once a year. Puppies, kittens, senior pets, and pets with chronic health conditions may need more frequent checkups so our veterinarians can monitor development, aging changes, medications, mobility, dental health, appetite, and behavior.
Birds, reptiles, and small mammals may also need routine exams based on their species, age, and lifestyle. Exotic pets can mask illness until a problem is more advanced, so regular visits give our team the opportunity to review diet, habitat, weight, and subtle changes that may need attention.
What’s Included in a Pet Wellness Exam?
A pet wellness exam includes a full physical evaluation and a conversation about your pet’s health history, habits, and daily routine. We examine your pet’s eyes, ears, teeth, skin, heart, lungs, abdomen, joints, weight, and body condition while looking for changes that may not be easy to spot at home.
Your veterinarian will also ask about your pet’s appetite, energy, bathroom habits, mobility, behavior, diet, medications, and any concerns you’ve noticed. From there, we make recommendations based on your pet’s age, species, breed, lifestyle, and individual risk factors.
Depending on your pet’s needs, the visit may include vaccines, parasite testing and prevention, bloodwork, nutrition counseling, dental care recommendations, behavior guidance, or screening tests. For birds and exotic pets, we may also discuss habitat setup, lighting, humidity, diet, handling, and species-specific signs of illness, since these pets often hide symptoms until they become more serious.