Wellness Exams

An ounce of prevention is most certainly worth a pound of cure when it comes to keeping our pets healthy and limiting the lifetime cost of care.

As medical professionals, Birch-Dan Animal Hospital knows that the cornerstone of any preventative care program for your pet is a regular and thorough wellness exam. A nose-to-tail medical exam will allow your veterinarian to assess the health of your pet, notice potential signs of trouble at an early and easily treatable stage, and offer important information on the care of your specific type and breed of pet.

A pet wellness exam also provides you with an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the health and care of your pet.

In all, routine veterinary wellness exams are an important piece of your Scarborough pet’s preventative health care plan.

When you bring your pet to Birch-Dan Animal Hospital, your veterinarian will:

Score your pet’s weight and body: This is one of the most important parts of a physical exam, as it looks for major weight gain or loss which may indicate disease or potentially harmful weight problems.

Nutritional consultation and assessment: A nutritional consultation and assessment is done on each pet to help determine if your pet’s current food is a good fit. We determine the diet’s true quality and see if it meets each individual’s nutritional requirements. We can also put together a specialized program for your pet to help ensure it is getting the most out of mealtime.

Nose, ears, and eyes: Examining for discharge or any other abnormalities. Your veterinarian will look for signs of eye disease, chronic ear problems and anything else that may be making your pet uncomfortable.

The paws and nails: Your veterinarian will look for any cuts and will clip overgrown nails, which may cause future issues if left untended.

Condition of the fur and skin: This involves checking for rashes, wounds, cuts, lumps and growths, etc.

The heart: A stethoscope may discover various heart conditions, heart or lung disease.

Internal organs: Your veterinarian will palpate your pet’s tummy to feel for any enlargements on the major organs, and the intestines.

Rear end: Checking for any visible parasites, signs of diarrhea, anal gland problems, and any other abnormalities.

General condition of joints and bones: Your veterinarian will check your pet’s stride and flex/rotate joints in the hips, shoulders, neck, and legs. Stiffness or pain can indicate orthopedic issues such as arthritis.

Lab testing: We may run a blood screen to check your pets overall internal health. Lab testing costs extra, but is very affordable. Testing will vary with the age of your pet.