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Back in the days of James Herriot, you brought your pet to the veterinarian when he or she was sick. However, as is the case with many things in our lives, times are changing in the world of veterinary medicine.

You might wonder why you should bring your pet to visit us at  Ten West if there isn’t an obvious problem. Well, keep reading to learn why healthy pet exams are important for all creatures, great and small.

What Happens at a Healthy Pet Exam

We recommend giving your pet an examination every six months, even if you feel your pet is doing well. At a  wellness visits, we always:

• Updating your pet’s weight
• Assessing your pet’s nutrition and exercise program
• Discuss changes in your pet’s environment, routine, or health status with you
• Performing a thorough nose-to-tail examination
• Making recommendations for vaccinations, wellness testing, or other procedures including dental care recommendations

These visits are also a great time for us to discuss any concerns you might have and answer any questions.

Why You Shouldn’t Miss Your Pet’s Wellness Visits

Even if your pet is perfectly fine, a healthy pet exam can be a very valuable visit. By seeing your pet at these intervals we stay in close touch with you and your companion so that we can:

Establish a relationship – When we see you and your pet several times a year, we get to know you better. We understand your needs and desires, and we can better meet your expectations. When we are able to keep up with the changes in your pet’s day-to-day life, we can make recommendations to protect your pet against new threats and diseases.    

Set a baseline – Maintaining a close relationship with you and your pet means we know what is normal and what is not. Understanding your pets temperament, average weight, normal vital signs, typical blood values, and even normal gait can help us identify subtle changes that we might otherwise miss.

Allow early detection of problems – Frequent visits allow us to detect small changes in your pet, which means we’re often able to detect problems at a much earlier stage. In many instances, early detection also provides a better chance of treatment or successful management of diseases and conditions.

Closely observe medical conditions – If you pet already has an ongoing medical condition, the healthy pet exams allow us to keep close tabs on it and make recommendations as necessary.

A healthy pet exam means so much more than just stopping in for your pet’s vaccinations. Animals age much more quickly than we do, and it’s important that we see them often in order to keep them happy and healthy for years to come.