Keeping your pet healthy is a lifelong commitment, and part of that commitment involves bringing them to Woodland Animal Hospital on a regular basis for a health checkup, vaccinations, blood testing, and anything else they might need. These checkups are essential because they make it easier for us (and you) to be protect your pet from disease. When we see your pet for an exam, we can check for any potential signs of illness and, if needed, administer treatment to prevent those signs from becoming more severe. Disease prevention is one of our primary goals for maintaining your pet’s good health, and ensuring the longest, healthiest life for them.
Woodland Animal Hospital recommends that every adult pet see us every six months for their wellness exam and other preventative treatments.
Why Every Six Months?
Dogs and cats age a lot faster than us, and because of this, they are liable to develop an illness quickly. With biannual wellness visits, our doctors can anticipate possible changes to your pet’s health and suggest certain treatments to give them further resistance to infections, viruses, parasites, and other threats.
General wellness visits for dogs and cats include a full physical examination, blood screens, heartworm testing, intestinal parasite screens, and vaccinations. We will also be happy to answer any questions you have about your pet’s treatment, their diet, and other important factors. Everything we do during this appointment is dedicated to maintaining good health and an excellent quality of life for your pet.
Wellness Programs for Pets of All Ages
At Woodland Animal Hospital, our services to improve your pet’s health and prolong their life include:
The physical exam is the first step in your pet’s care. This is a nose-to-tail procedure, where we make a visual assessment to check for lumps, bumps, discoloration, lesions, unusual redness/swelling, and other abnormal characteristics. We will also check your pet’s heart rate, breathing, temperature, and weight, and check everything from their nails and joints to their teeth, gums, eyes, and ears. Your vet will also use their hands to gently palpate your pet’s abdomen to check their organs.
You may be surprised to know that the average veterinary physical exam can reveal up to 3 new health issues in a pet that the owner did not even know about! That’s all the more reason to keep up with your pet’s biannual exam appointments.
Woodland Animal Hospital is equipped to provide internal medicine for dogs and cats. This involves diagnosing and treating an acute or chronic disease, such as:
- Heart disease
- Liver disease
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Pancreatitis
- Internal infections
Since our hospital is open 24/7, you can always count on us to be here for you if your pet has an undiagnosed illness. In addition to our in-house laboratory and diagnostic imaging equipment, we also have an ICU for handling more severe medical cases.
A physical examination is just one part of a thorough evaluation. To detect a subtle, underlying problem and make a definitive diagnosis, we may need to turn to our laboratory to run blood tests. We also have capabilities for testing skin, fecal, and urine samples. Conditions that cannot be detected through a physical exam may be found with the help of our testing equipment.
You are your pet’s primary caregiver, and the most important person in their life. You want to do your best for them, and to understand what kind of care they need to thrive. It’s natural to have lots of questions about your pet’s health, their care, and other aspects, and we’re more than happy to give you the answers! As your veterinarian, it’s our responsibility to educate you and provide guidance whenever it’s needed to ensure the best treatment for your pet. By keeping you informed, we hope we can also dispel any uncertainty and anxiety you might be feeling about your pet’s condition and/or care.
Dental care is a key factor in your pet’s overall preventative care. Teeth cleaning procedures at our hospital can keep dental disease at bay, sparing your pet from chronic oral pain and infection. Most adult dogs and cats over 3 years of age have dental disease in some form, but dental disease is easy to prevent with a suitable dental care plan. At Woodland Animal Hospital, our team can help you formulate a dental plan for your pet, and show you how to care for their teeth at home, between wellness exams. When needed, we can clean your pet’s teeth while they are under anesthesia to fully remove any tartar buildup and prevent dental disease from taking hold.
