Vaccinations and Examinations
Regular vaccinations and examinations will help keep your pet healthy and happy. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you of the frequency that your pet should be examined, but most recommend either annual or biannual visits. This is because pets age an average of 7 times faster than humans and so by the time they reach 6/7 years old they are considered middle-aged. Larger breeds of dogs are often considered to be seniors by the time they reach 8.
Typical components of a wellness examination include:
Typical components of a wellness examination include:
- Checking the central nervous center
- Checking the ears, treating if required
- Checking joints and mobility
- Checking skin and condition of coat
- Checking urinary and reproductive systems
- Dental examination
- Eye examination
- Listen to the heart
- Listen to the lungs
- Observation of alertness and response
- Palpate the abdomen checking for painful areas and/or growths or tumors
- Physical examination of the rest of the body for unusual lumps
- Weight check
Other tests that your pet may be given include:
- Heartworm testing (otherwise known as blood parasite screening)
- Fecal testing. This allows the veterinarian to check for the presence of internal parasites such as hookworms, roundworms and whipworms.
- Laboratory testing including blood work and urinalysis. Blood and urine tests screen for infection or disease that may not otherwise be detected through a physical examination. Labwork also gives a veterinarian a comprehensive assessment of your pets’ health.
Vaccinations
When to vaccinate?
Puppies and kittens are usually protected from infectious diseases by their mother’s milk provided she has been adequately vaccinated. However this protection only lasts for a short while.
- Vaccines will start at your first puppy or kitten visit. Regular booster vaccines will be needed to develop proper immunity.
- If you have an older pet then your veterinarian will be able to advise the correct vaccination protocol that you should follow.
Dogs
Dogs should be routinely vaccinated against:
- Canine distemper
- Canine parvovirus
- Infectious canine hepatitis
- Rabies
If your dog is going to spending time in kennels then you should also enquire about getting them vaccinated against kennel cough. The vaccine is usually given as drops in the mouth.
Cats
Cats should be routinely vaccinated against:
- Feline calicivirus
- Feline herpes virus
- Feline panleukopenia
Depending on exposure, cats may also be vaccinated against leukemia virus and Rabies.
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