Pet Wellness Care
At Mendocino Animal Hospital, we’re dedicated to providing the services needed to strengthen your bond with your pet. Wellness care is an essential part of that. Annual or semiannual visits with your veterinarian help us keep up with the changing needs of your pet, so we can give them the most effective care year after year.
Annual exams give your pet the best chance at a long and happy life.
What’s in a Wellness Exam?
Pet wellness exams are the best way for us to assess their health and catch any underlying diseases before they have time to develop (and become more difficult to treat). At each exam, we perform:
- A thorough physical exam checking their eyes, ears, nose, mouth, joints, skin and coat, and their heart and lungs
- Weight check and body condition score
- Discussion of nutrition, especially if they are over or underweight
- Fecal exam (for intestinal parasite testing)*
- Age-appropriate bloodwork for baseline tests and to check for abnormalities
- Vaccinations, if due
- Parasite prevention discussion and refill of prescriptions
*Be sure to bring in a fresh stool sample to your visit, no more than 2 hours old.
Common Concerns in Our Area
A wellness exam is also a great time to talk about the most common health problems in our area: allergies, foxtails, Lyme disease, and rattlesnakes.
- Allergies can be caused by pollens, molds, dust, certain materials, and more. They cause incessant scratching that can make your pet miserable. Bring them to us for itch relief!
- Foxtails are nasty plant barbs that have a habit of lodging themselves in painful areas (including the eyes) and causing infections. Prevention is the best policy—keep your yard clear and free of debris, stick to well-groomed trails when hiking, and always do a thorough check of your pet once a day to catch any foxtails before they migrate to somewhere dangerous.
- Lyme disease is common in our area due to our rural setting and prevalence of wildlife. The best prevention is tick control products, and for dogs, we also offer a Lyme vaccine that provides further protection.
- Rattlesnakes pose quite the risk to our curious pets. While we do offer a rattlesnake vaccine, it’s even better if your pet is trained to avoid rattlesnakes altogether. Ask us about rattlesnake aversion training at your next visit!
Why is Preventative Care So Important for My Pet?
It can be easy to put off going to the vet because your pet seems completely healthy and normal. However, pets can’t tell us how they’re feeling, and while they may seem perfectly healthy on the outside, there could be an underlying illness brewing. Here are some reasons why pet wellness care is so important for your pet:
Hiding any sign of vulnerability is a natural instinct, and in the wild, it would have kept them from being a bigger predator’s next meal. When signs of illness finally do develop, it means the disease progression is much farther along and will be significantly more difficult (and costly) to treat.
The human-animal bond is a beautiful thing, but when your pet isn’t their best self, your relationship with them suffers. They likely won’t be as willing to play, take long walks, or even cuddle with you on the couch because of pain, discomfort, or simply not feeling well.
While we may be able to manage or treat an illness that progressed too far, your pet may not fully recover. Lingering effects such as tooth loss from dental disease, chronic gastrointestinal problems from parvovirus; or heart problems from feline hyperthyroidism can all shorten your pet’s quality and quantity of life significantly.
Senior cats and dogs can develop conditions much more rapidly. Routine vet visits, ideally every 6 months, are essential for our older patients as it gives us the best chance at early detection (and treatment!) for any developing conditions.
Prevention and early detection are the two most important parts of pet wellness care, but it is only effective if you bring your pet in! Contact us today at (707) 462-8833 to make an appointment or do so online!
