Wellness Exam
Even When Your Dog Seems Healthy
You don’t have to be sick to visit the vet. In fact, we’d love to see your dog while they’re feeling well.
A regular wellness exam allows us to detect small changes before they develop into a noticeable problem. At the same time, we get to know your dog and their normal state throughout their life.
Therefore, we generally recommend an annual wellness exam.
We Examine the Entire Dog
During the wellness exam, the veterinarian performs a thorough clinical examination. Among other things, we look at:
- Teeth, gums, and oral cavity
- Eyes and ears
- Skin and coat
- Heart and lungs
- Weight and nutritional status
- Musculoskeletal system and mobility
- Lumps or other changes
But the wellness exam is about more than what we can see and feel at the clinic.
You Know Their Daily Life. We Know the Medicine.
You see your dog every day. We only see them for a limited time.
Therefore, your observations are an important part of the wellness exam.
Does your dog drink more? Does it sleep differently? Has it become less interested in walks? Does it no longer jump on the couch? Has its appetite changed? Or does it react differently to touch?
Small changes can be valuable pieces of the overall picture.
You don’t need to know if something is important yourself. Tell us what you’ve noticed – and we’ll help assess it.
When We Find Something
A wellness exam does not mean that all dogs have to go through a long series of tests.
If we find something during the examination or in your dog’s history that needs further investigation, we will discuss it with you and make a plan together.
This could, for example, be a blood test, urine test, X-ray, or a more targeted examination. What makes sense always depends on the individual dog.
The Body Changes Throughout Life
A young and an older dog don’t necessarily need the same things.
As dogs get older, changes can develop so gradually that they are easily perceived as normal signs of aging.
That your dog is slowing down, sleeping more, or no longer wants to do something it previously enjoyed, is not necessarily “just because it’s gotten old.”
Therefore, we tailor our recommendations to your dog’s age, medical history, and individual needs.
Body and Well-being Are Connected
Physical and emotional well-being are connected.
Changed behavior can be one of the first signs of pain or physical discomfort. Conversely, fear and stress can affect how your dog functions and reacts.
Therefore, we are also interested in changes in your dog’s behavior and well-being.
We don’t treat a collection of body parts. We look at the whole dog.
Good Vet Experiences Are Also Prevention
A wellness exam has another benefit: Your dog gains experience visiting the clinic without necessarily being sick, in pain, or needing major treatment.
This allows us to protect the trust your dog has in vet visits.
We adapt the examination to each individual dog and monitor their signals throughout. If something becomes difficult, the solution doesn’t have to be to hold them tighter.
If Plan A doesn’t work, we’ll find Plan B.
Good vet experiences are also a form of prevention.
Does Your Dog Need Its Annual Wellness Exam?
You don’t have to wait until there’s something to worry about.
