Why Preventive Care is Important
Wellness exams are an essential part of helping your pet maintain long-term excellent physical health.
When these checkups are combined with routine vaccinations, parasite prevention, and proper nutrition, they provide your cat or dog with their best chance at lifelong optimal health.
When you bring your pet in for their routine checkup, we can help prevent your pet from developing health problems, or find them early, when they are most treatable. We also provide you with nutritional consulting to help keep your pet healthy.
What You Can Expect at Your Pet's Physical
Your McAllen vet will provide your cat or dog with an in-depth physical examination in order to obtain a full picture of their overall health. Routine wellness exams at our pet clinic consist of the following elements:
General Condition
The general demeanor and physical condition of your cat or dog can offer clues to their overall health. How your companion stands and walks, their alertness level, and whether they are a healthy weight for their size are all key indicators of health conditions.
Coat & Skin
At your cat or dog's checkup, we will check your pet's coat and skin for signs of any problems, such as excessive oiliness or dryness, bumps, lumps, dandruff, or abnormal shedding or hair loss.
Face & Head
The eyes, ears, and nose of your pet will be assessed for any discharge or abnormalities. We will also look at the mouth for symptoms of oral health problems such as plaque buildup or periodontal disease.
Internal Health
Heart rate and rhythm, pulse, and blood pressure are critical to the heart health of your pet. We'll test these to make sure they are normal. The lungs will then be examined for signs of abnormal breathing.
Lymph nodes will be evaluated for swelling or pain and we will also assess the abdomen to make sure the intestines, kidneys, bladder, spleen, liver, and stomach all feel normal, and that your cat or dog isn't showing any hints of discomfort.
Review of Findings
Following your pet's routine wellness exam, your veterinarian will designate time to discuss any concerns they might have about the overall health of your pet and discuss your dog or cat's nutritional requirements.
Checkups for Puppies & Kittens
Puppies and kittens require a certain level of medical attention in their first few weeks of life to make sure they have a healthy beginning.
Our team will provide your new best friend with a complete physical checkup, the appropriate immunizations, and deworming medication. We'll also test for intestinal parasites. We will also give you a puppy or kitten 'kit' that contains educational materials and samples to help you take care of your young furry friend.
Never hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have when it comes to caring for your new puppy or kitten, either at your appointments or after your visits.
When your puppy or kitten's checkup is over, you'll come back regularly for their mandatory booster shots.
Seniors
With the new advancements being made in veterinary medical care and knowledge, as well as newer therapies and better nutrition options, senior pets are now living longer than before.
While this is great news for pets and their owners, it also means that special attention has to be given to your pet's regular healthcare as they get older. As your pet passes their middle-age years, regular examinations become even more important in ensuring their continuing health and longevity.
On top of the routine wellness procedures, we conduct for all adult pets, we will give special attention to your senior pet's potential geriatric conditions, such as arthritis or decreased vision.
Additional laboratory tests might be needed for aging pets to get more detailed information about your senior cat or dog's overall health and wellbeing.
Vaccinations & Prevention
At our McAllen animal hospital when your cat or dog comes in for their routine check-up, your vet will also look to see if your pet requires preventive care, or if it's time for any routine vaccinations.