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Wellness Exams

What is a Wellness Exam?

 

A wellness exam is like a physical or check-up for your pet. It is a routine medical examination done when your pet is presumably healthy as opposed to an exam when your pet is ill. 

 

Pacific Islands Veterinary Services offers three different types of wellness exams:

Why get a Wellness Exam?

 

Veterinarians recommend regular wellness exams for the same reason your physician and dentist recommend them – if you can detect a problem in its early stages, it's more likely to be treated and resolved with less expense, less difficulty and better success.

 

Vaccinations, heartworm prevention, tick and tick disease prevention and routine deworming are important components of wellness care and can prevent diseases that are not only life-threatening, but very expensive to treat.

  • Examining your pet's teeth, throat and oral cavity

  • Checking your pet's vision and eyes

  • Examining ears for infection, ear mites, allergic reaction and other related health issues

  • Assessing your pet's heart and cardiac function

  • Examining the skin for ticks, fleas, infection and other health related issues

  • Palpatating lymph nodes and abdomen

  • Examining the respiratory system

  • Evaluating internal organ function and other systems

  • Monitoring your pet's blood count and serum chemistry

  • Blood test for heartworm and/or tick disease

  • Performing laboratory tests to determine the presence of specific diseases

  • Assessing changes in your pet's health since the last wellness visit

  • Fecal check for the presence of intestinal parasites

What to Expect from our Wellness Exams:

 

Our commitment to you and your pet's health begins with a wellness examination that includes:

Young & Healthy Wellness Exams

 

The Young & Healthy Wellness Exam includes all those listed above as part of a wellness exam.  Emphasis will be placed on preventative medicine.  we consider it our goal and mission to educate all owners how to prevent diseases, especially parasitic diseases in their pet(s). 

Young & Healthy

Your pet will be offered (at a charge):

  • Heartworm prevention

  • Tick disease prevention

  • Relief from ticks and fleas

  • Heartworm testing - dogs (if not up to date)

  • Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS testing - cats (as appropriate)

  • Vaccinations (will include the exam fee) (if not up to date)

Recommendations will be given regarding:

  • Diet

  • Weight control

  • Housing

  • Grooming

  • Parasite control and eradication

  • Health care specific to your pet's needs

Pregnancy & Birthing Exams

 

We encourage all pregnant pets to be evaluated early during the pregnancy to assure the best possible outcome for mom and litter. The first time you bring in your pet for a pregnancy examination, you will be charged for a "pregnancy exam" (same price as a regular examination). However the pregnancy examination is very special as it includes:

For the Mother:

  • Free examinations for the mother, after paying the pregnancy exam fee once (related to anything associated with pregnancy, birthing, raising puppies), until the puppies finish their vaccines at about 16 weeks of age

  • Evaluation of rediness and timing for any future litters or spaying (desexing) as desired

  • Toe nail trims

  • Ear cleanings

  • Free fecal examinations as appropriate

  • Heartworm and tick disease prevention recommendations

  • Sanitary clips to assist in nursing and/or maintaining cleanliness

 

Additionally, at the 1st examination (if prior to whelping/birth), we will try to establish the dates for:

  • 1st and subsequent breeding (it helps if you know the date your pet bred)

  • Suggested dates for followup exams, x-rays (to help determine health and size of litter), and whelping (giving birth)

  • Suggested food to feed mother and litter

  • Suggested methods to prevent parasites (worms, fleas, ticks, lice, etc.)

 

At 1st examination after whelping, including the post partum period, we will do:

  • Injections to assist in "cleaning out the uterus" and preventing mastitis/infections (these injections are charged items)

  • Analysis of need for nutritional suppliments

  • Analysis of ability to nurse

  • Determination of whether the entire litter has been born

  • Deworming as appropriate

  • Examination of the litter

For the Litter:

  • All examinations for all the puppies/kittens until vaccines are completed at approximately 16 weeks of age

  • Group/discounted dewormings until first vaccination

  • Free dewormings with and after first vaccination

  • Toe nail trims

  • Ear cleanings

  • Free fecal examinations as appropriate

  • Discounted vaccines for litters of 4 or more (can include mom in the minimum of 4)

  • Minor dermatophytosis clipping and cleaning

  • Sanitary clips to maintain cleanliness

  • Heartwormm and tick disease information and analysis

 

If you sell the puppies/kittens the program continues with the new owner. Breeders can tell new owners that purchasing one of their litter comes complete with a health program for the puppy/kitten.  

 

See our Puppy and Post Birthing program here.

See our Kitten and Post Birthing program here.

Pregnancy

Geriatric Patient Wellness Exams

Geriatric

Geriatric wellness examinations are for those dogs over 7 years of age. Some of the smaller dog breeds are considered geriatric at 10 years of age, however bad teeth and other health problems often will place dogs in the geriatric category earlier. Cats are always considered geriatric at 7 years of age.

 

The geriatric exam includes everything listed as part of a wellness exam. Emphasis will be placed on oral care, weight control, eyes and cataracts, arthritis, liver/kidney health, evaluation for diabetes and other age related items. 

Geriatric patients will be offered (at a charge) as appropriate for dog/cat:

  • Blood test for heartworm and tick disease (unless up to date)

  • vaccinations every 3 years (unless up to date)

  • Fecal exams for parasites

  • Blood tests to evaluate:

    • Health of all organs, especially the liver & kidneys

    • White and red blood cells

    • Electrolytes

    • Clotting ability

    • Diabeties

Analysis will include recommendations for diet, housing, medications needed (or not needed) and:

  • X-rays will be offered as appropriate to evaluate:

    • Heart/chest problem(s)

    • Arthritis/Hip Dysplasia

    • Spinal Arthritis

    • Masses

    • Etc.

  • EKG's will be offered to evaluate:

    • Heart function

    • Heart disease

    • Heart related health issues

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