Why Preventive Care is Important
Wellness exams play an essential part in helping your pet stay in good physical health their whole lives.
When combined with routine vaccinations, parasite prevention, and proper nutrition (we offer nutritional consulting), these routine physical checkups give your cat or dog their best chance to achieve excellent lifelong health.
When you bring your pet in for their routine wellness exam, we can help prevent them from developing health issues, or detect them early when they are most treatable.
What to Expect At Your Pet's Physical
Your Laguna Woods vet will provide your cat or dog with a complete physical examination in order to obtain a full picture of their overall health. Routine checkups at our Laguna Woods animal clinic include the following elements:
General Condition
The general demeanor and physical condition of your furry companion can offer insight into their overall health. The way they stand and walk, their alertness level, and if they are a healthy weight for their size are all key indicators of general health.
Coat & Skin
Throughout your pet's checkup, your vet will examine the skin and coat of your cat or dog to look for signs of problems, such as bumps, lumps, excessive oiliness or dryness, dandruff, or abnormal shedding or hair loss.
Face & Head
The eyes, ears, and nose of your pet will be examined for any discharge or abnormalities. We will also look at their 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 extremely important to the heart health of your cat or dog. We'll test these to see if they are normal. The lungs will then be examined for signs of abnormal breathing.
Lymph nodes will be checked for swelling or pain, and we'll also examine the abdomen to make sure the intestines, kidneys, bladder, spleen, liver, and stomach all feel normal, and that your four-legged companion is not showing any hints of discomfort.
Review of Findings
Following your pet's routine wellness exam, your vet will designate time to have a conversation about any concerns they might have regarding the overall health of your pet and talk to you about their nutritional requirements.
Checkups for Puppies & Kittens in Laguna Woods
Puppies and kittens require proper medical attention during their first several weeks of life in order to get a healthy start.
We'll give your newest family member a full physical examination, the appropriate immunizations, as well as deworming medication. We'll also test for intestinal parasites. You'll be given a puppy or kitten 'package' filled with educational material and samples to help you care for your furry friend.
Please never hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have regarding the care of your new pet, either at your appointments or after your visits.
As soon as your puppy or kitten's checkup is over, you'll come back regularly for the booster shots they require.
Seniors
With the recent advances in veterinary medical knowledge and care, and the newer therapies and better nutrition, senior pets are 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 routine healthcare as they get older. As your pet surpasses middle age, regular examinations become increasingly crucial to ensure their continuing health and longevity.
In addition to the routine wellness procedures we perform on 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 may be recommended for aging pets to provide more detailed information about your senior pet's overall health and wellbeing.
Vaccinations & Prevention
During your cat or dog's wellness checkup at our Laguna Hills Animal Hospital your vet will look to see if your pet needs preventive care, or if it's time for any of their routine vaccinations.