Annual Wellness Exams

One of the most important things we do here is the annual exam on your pet. If you are new to Whitestone Animal Hospital, then this is a time for us to get to know you and your pet. This relationship is essential, and we hope to build a good relationship with all our patients and clients. We are here to help you sort through all the information out there from nutrition, what to do if you find a flea on your pet, work through upset bellies, behavior issues and guiding you and your pet from the puppy/kitten stage to adulthood.

At each annual wellness exam, you can expect a thorough exam that includes:

• Oral Exam: checks for dental disease, tumors, circulation
• Eyes: the eyes are a window to the body where we can get a look at the optic nerve and vessels. This can be the first place where we can detect certain diseases
• Ears: we’ll check for ear infections, parasites, and signs of allergies
• Throat: palpating for thyroid size and checking for possible tumors
• Lymph nodes: pets have lymph nodes all over their body, so we’ll check and make sure they are standard size. Enlarged lymph nodes are common as the body reacts to inflammation/infection but can also be a sign of some cancers
• Heart: listening for a heart murmur, heart rate, and rhythm. When a pet comes in for an emergency, knowing their history especially when it comes to heart disease can make a huge difference in how fast we can assess and decide on treatment for your pet
• Skin: checking for parasites, inflammation, abnormal hair coat, and growths
• Orthopedic: muscle mass, joint movement, and gait can tell us if your pet is developing arthritis, having a neurologic issue or starting to develop pain
• Reproduction: checking for breast cancer, prostate cancer, vaginal cancer
• Rectals: performed on senior pets to check anal glands and screening for cancer

 

Getting a standard baseline for your pet can make a huge difference in helping diagnosis of your pet if problems come up. Treating issues before they are issues can save your pet discomfort, can save you money and potentially save your pet’s lifestyle.

• Vaccines: we don’t have a strict vaccine program. We discuss each pet individually and address their needs. Click here to learn more.
• Heartworm Test: we test for heartworm annually to protect your pet – Click here to learn more.
• Fecal (stool test): please bring a fresh stool sample to your appointment. Ideally, a sample that is less than 24 hours old and put in the fridge if you collect it the day before. This test looks for an assortment of parasites we commonly see here in Central Texas
• Wellness Labwork: we have various panels to screen kidney values, liver values, blood sugar, proteins, and electrolytes. We have panels for young dogs that come packaged with heartworm and stool testing for a great price. For dogs and cats older than eight we start recommending larger panels that are more comprehensive
• Blood Pressure: high blood pressure can be a silent killer for people and pets. You often won’t know that your pet has blood pressure until it is too late. In cats, they often become blind if blood pressure is not caught soon enough
• Glaucoma: certain breeds are prone to this disease which builds up the pressure in the eye causing pain and potentially causing some pets to lose their sight or eyes. If detected early enough we can use medications to keep your pet comfortable and possibly save their eye