Exams: During an exam, the doctor will look at several physical systems, including ears, eyes, skin, and teeth. The doctor listens to the heart and lung sounds, feels the abdomen (belly) for normal internal organ sizes and shapes, feels the body for lumps, or painful areas. An exam can tell the doctor a great deal about overall health and give clues to underlying diseases. To an untrained eye, the pet may appear healthy, but to the skilled professional, many problems can be caught early and treated before bigger problems develop. Types of exams include: 

Annual Wellness Exams: Exams as described above, for relatively healthy pets. Often performed when the pet returns for vaccinations, and recommended yearly or more often for older pets. Vaccinations are recommended based on each pet's risks and lifestyle. Blood tests may be recommended, especially in older (geriatric) patients, to help detect medical problems early. Routine blood tests help find kidney, liver, and thyroid disease, as well as diabetes and blood cell abnormalities early. Early detection can help treat these problems before they become more difficult to manage and more life-threatening. Heartworm tests and heartworm prevention should also be discussed with your veterinarian. Generally, heartworm prevention is recommended year-round, for all dogs in this area. Although heartworm disease is less common in cats than dogs, cats may also be given heartworm prevention.

Puppy/Kitten Exam: Usually a puppy/kitten exam is performed when the young pet visits the veterinarian for the first time. The doctor looks at the areas listed above, but is particularly looking for normal development, infections, and congenital defects (problems the patient was born with), normal heart sounds, hernias (common at the site of the umbilical cord and the groin. Early detection of problems can help prevent and treat further problems or prepare a client for certain expectations. Dewormers will be given to remove intestinal parasites that the puppy or kitten may have been born with or acquired very young. Schedule a new pet appointment as soon as you bring the new pup or kitten home. Vaccinations will begin between 6 and 8 weeks of age for puppies, and 8 to 10 weeks for kittens. Multiple vaccination appointments will be necessary. The doctor will discuss recommendations with you, depending on the pet's age and lifestyle.

Office Visit / Sick Pet Exams: When a patient presents to the doctor for a specific problem, the doctor will usually do a complete exam because there are often multiple problems present that need attention. Often, the problems are related, however the pet may have multiple disorders that require treatment.

Always contact a doctor before giving over-the-counter medications....many problems are made worse by well-meaning clients who misdiagnose and treat their pets at home.