What does a dog wellness exam involve?
A dog wellness exam involves a complete physical, from nose to tail, so that we can evaluate the whole health picture for our canine pets.
How does monitoring a dog's wellness impact its longevity?
Being careful and monitoring your dog's wellness does impact the longevity of your pet because it involves preventive health care, which is the key to any wellness program.
When should pet wellness start?
After the initial stage, if you acquire your pet as a puppy, there are puppy visits. There are quite a few frequent puppy visits, but pet wellness should start annually at the age of one.
What is included in the wellness exam?
During the wellness exam, a very important part is annual lab testing. This includes a blood count, organ function tests, tests for parasites, and tests for common diseases in this area, like tick-borne diseases. In addition to doing a complete physical on your pet and evaluating their lab work, this approach helps us detect problems early, like high blood sugar or elevated kidney values, which should be addressed sooner rather than later.
What additional recommendations might be made during the wellness exam?
In addition to the physical exam and lab work, they will recommend vaccines, as well as flea, tick, and heartworm prevention. If appropriate, they may also recommend preventive dental care, which could include a complete dental prophylaxis.
How do environmental factors affect canine wellness?
Environmental factors are crucial, such as what your dog does and where your dog lives. If your dog goes places with you, like hiking through the woods, it is vital that your pet is protected against parasites they can pick up in such environments.
Why is early detection of health issues important?
Early detection of health issues in your dog is important because it allows us to plan an intervention for your dog, whether that's a dietary change or a medication addition. This means we can take a serious disease and make it very controllable before it gets out of hand.
How does geriatric dog screening differ from that of adults or puppies?
Geriatric dog screening is more involved than it is for an adult or a puppy. It should include blood work probably twice a year, every six months, which is more important in the elderly. This is because they are more prone to chronic diseases, including mobility issues, which often require medication. If your pet has to be on chronic medication, we need to see them a couple of times a year to develop the correct treatment plan.
What are the wellness plans offered by your hospitals?
In response to demand and our recommendations for keeping pets well, we have recently launched wellness plans. We have wellness plans for kittens, puppies, adult dogs, and adult cats. These plans include all the things we think are important for your pet to maintain their wellness. The plans are paid on a monthly basis and are quite robust in terms of what they include.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (703) 256-8414, or you can email us at [email protected]. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media Facebook, Instagram
Dog Wellness Exams — Frequently Asked Questions
How often should my dog have a wellness exam?
Most adult dogs benefit from an annual wellness exam. Puppies need visits every 3-4 weeks until about 16 weeks of age for their vaccine series. Senior dogs (7 and older) often do better with twice-yearly exams to catch age-related changes early.
What happens during a dog wellness exam?
We perform a nose-to-tail physical exam covering eyes, ears, teeth, lymph nodes, heart, lungs, abdomen, skin, and joints. We also review vaccines, discuss parasite prevention, run any recommended bloodwork, and address any concerns you have about your dog's health or behavior.
Does my dog need bloodwork at a wellness visit?
We often recommend baseline bloodwork for puppies and annual panels for adult and senior dogs. Bloodwork can detect kidney disease, liver problems, thyroid issues, and diabetes before symptoms appear — when treatment is most effective.
What vaccines are given at wellness visits?
Core vaccines for dogs include rabies and the DA2PP combination (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, parainfluenza). Lifestyle vaccines like Bordetella, leptospirosis, Lyme, and influenza are recommended based on your dog's specific exposures.
What if I notice a health problem between annual visits?
Do not wait for the next annual exam. Columbia Pike Animal Hospital is open 24/7 with no additional emergency fee. If something does not look right, call or come in — we are always here.