Helping Pets Enjoy Better Lives with Wellness Exams in Tampa, FL
Pet wellness exams are an opportunity for us to enhance your companion’s protection from illnesses, parasites, and other issues. But they also give your pet a greater chance to thrive and enjoy more years with you! At Partners Animal Hospital Tampa, we recommend annual or semi-annual wellness exams as an essential factor in your pet’s care. Regular visits allow us to learn as much as we can about your pet so we can better serve their needs. Furthermore, we can use the time we have with you to provide a valuable education, so you can make confident healthcare choices on your pet’s behalf.
Why are Wellness Exams Important, and What’s Included?
Pet wellness exams are important because they give us a chance to evaluate your pet’s condition and check for abnormal changes that might need to be treated. Early detection is a crucial factor in helping your dog or cat stay in good health. If we can catch an illness, injury, or infection when it is still a minor issue, we can treat it much more effectively.
A standard wellness exam includes the following procedures:
- A nose-to-tail physical examination, which also includes a temperature, heart rate, and respiratory check
- Vaccine boosters as needed to reinforce your pet’s protection
- Comprehensive blood work to check organ function and blood cell count
- Heartworm and tick-borne disease testing
- Fecal exam
- A conversation about your pet’s diet, behavior, and any concerns you have
Providing Age-Based Wellness Care for Dogs and Cats
At Partners Animal Hospital Tampa, we approach your pet’s care on an individual level. Puppies, kittens, adult dogs and cats, and senior dogs and cats all have different health requirements.
Puppies and Kittens
Your puppy’s or kitten’s first appointment with us is typically their longest as we perform their exam, check for worms and provide deworming if required, administer their initial booster shots, and discuss nutritional needs. It’s important to give your new pet the best start possible, so they can be protected from any health risks they might encounter, and have greater immunity to harmful diseases.
Adult Dogs and Cats
Keeping your adult pet healthy is primarily about maintenance. We want to help them maintain a good quality of life, and maintain their wellness and preventative care routine to help them stay on track. Regular exams, vaccine boosters, and parasite prevention should all round out your adult pet’s regimen. We strongly recommend monthly heartworm preventatives for life, for both dogs and cats.
Senior Dogs and Cats
As your pet grows older, they may experience a variety of changes in their condition, including vision loss, hearing loss, weight gain, and arthritis. Consistent, routine wellness checkups can help reduce the severity of these and other issues. We often recommend semi-annual exams for senior dogs and cats so we can more closely monitor their health and make adjustments to their treatment to keep them comfortable.