Components of a Comprehensive Exam

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During a wellness exam, your vet will comprehensively evaluate your pet’s overall health. The components of a wellness exam include the following:

During the physical exam, your vet will observe or inspect:
  • Your pet’s general body condition, including if your pet has the appropriate body weight
  • How your pet walks and stands
  • The skin: checking for rashes, scabbing, bumps, areas of abnormal thickening, and other abnormalities
  • The haircoat: checking for dryness, excessive oiliness, evidence of dandruff, abnormal hair loss, or excessive shedding
  • The ears: checking for thickening, discharge, hair loss, etc.
  • The eyes: checking for discharge, signs of excessive tearing, redness, cloudiness, etc.
  • The mouth and teeth: checking for tartar build-up, broken teeth, periodontal disease, retained baby teeth, etc.
  • The nose and face: checking for symmetry, how the pet breathes, if there are any problems related to skin folds and other abnormalities

Your veterinarian will auscultate (listen to) the heart, checking for heart rhythm, abnormal heart rate, or heart murmurs. The vet will also listen to the lungs for signs of decreased or increased breath sounds.

Your vet will palpate (examine by touch) the lymph nodes in the region of the neck, head, and hind legs, checking for swelling or pain. We will also feel your pet’s legs, checking for evidence of muscle problems, lameness, nerve issues, etc. Then, they will evaluate the abdomen, feeling around the bladder, kidneys, intestines, liver, stomach, and spleen, assessing whether these organs appear normal or abnormal and checking for signs of discomfort.

The vet will request a one-time fresh sample of your pet’s feces for the wellness examination, there is no need to check monthly unless the vet notices parasites or diarrhea. Fecal examinations are important for puppies and kittens since it is common for them to have intestinal parasites from their mom, children being in the house, or the environment. A number of these intestinal parasites can infect humans. Young children are especially at risk for parasite infection from our pets.

Wellness screening tests are recommended, like a complete blood count (CBC), a urinalysis, and a blood chemistry profile. Younger animals with no noticeable health issues might require simpler testing, while middle-aged or geriatric pets might require more comprehensive testing.

Vaccination recommendations will be provided based on your pets lifestyle, home location, and age. Once the entire exam is complete and your pet has received their vaccinations, your vet will take the time to discuss examination findings and overall health assessment findings with you. If they have noticed any signs of injury or illness, they will speak with you in more detail about diagnostics or available treatment options.

During the physical exam, your vet will observe or inspect:
  • Your pet’s general body condition, including if your pet has the appropriate body weight
  • How your pet walks and stands
  • The skin: checking for rashes, scabbing, bumps, areas of abnormal thickening, and other abnormalities
  • The haircoat: checking for dryness, excessive oiliness, evidence of dandruff, abnormal hair loss, or excessive shedding
  • The ears: checking for thickening, discharge, hair loss, etc.
  • The eyes: checking for discharge, signs of excessive tearing, redness, cloudiness, etc.
  • The mouth and teeth: checking for tartar build-up, broken teeth, periodontal disease, retained baby teeth, etc.
  • The nose and face: checking for symmetry, how the pet breathes, if there are any problems related to skin folds and other abnormalities

Your veterinarian will auscultate (listen to) the heart, checking for heart rhythm, abnormal heart rate, or heart murmurs. The vet will also listen to the lungs for signs of decreased or increased breath sounds.

Your vet will palpate (examine by touch) the lymph nodes in the region of the neck, head, and hind legs, checking for swelling or pain. We will also feel your pet’s legs, checking for evidence of muscle problems, lameness, nerve issues, etc. Then, they will evaluate the abdomen, feeling around the bladder, kidneys, intestines, liver, stomach, and spleen, assessing whether these organs appear normal or abnormal and checking for signs of discomfort.

The vet will request a one-time fresh sample of your pet’s feces for the wellness examination, there is no need to check monthly unless the vet notices parasites or diarrhea. Fecal examinations are important for puppies and kittens since it is common for them to have intestinal parasites from their mom, children being in the house, or the environment. A number of these intestinal parasites can infect humans. Young children are especially at risk for parasite infection from our pets.

Wellness screening tests are recommended, like a complete blood count (CBC), a urinalysis, and a blood chemistry profile. Younger animals with no noticeable health issues might require simpler testing, while middle-aged or geriatric pets might require more comprehensive testing.

Vaccination recommendations will be provided based on your pets lifestyle, home location, and age. Once the entire exam is complete and your pet has received their vaccinations, your vet will take the time to discuss examination findings and overall health assessment findings with you. If they have noticed any signs of injury or illness, they will speak with you in more detail about diagnostics or available treatment options.

During the physical exam, your vet will observe or inspect:
  • Your pet’s general body condition, including if your pet has the appropriate body weight
  • How your pet walks and stands
  • The skin: checking for rashes, scabbing, bumps, areas of abnormal thickening, and other abnormalities
  • The haircoat: checking for dryness, excessive oiliness, evidence of dandruff, abnormal hair loss, or excessive shedding
  • The ears: checking for thickening, discharge, hair loss, etc.
  • The eyes: checking for discharge, signs of excessive tearing, redness, cloudiness, etc.
  • The mouth and teeth: checking for tartar build-up, broken teeth, periodontal disease, retained baby teeth, etc.
  • The nose and face: checking for symmetry, how the pet breathes, if there are any problems related to skin folds and other abnormalities

Your veterinarian will auscultate (listen to) the heart, checking for heart rhythm, abnormal heart rate, or heart murmurs. The vet will also listen to the lungs for signs of decreased or increased breath sounds.

Your vet will palpate (examine by touch) the lymph nodes in the region of the neck, head, and hind legs, checking for swelling or pain. We will also feel your pet’s legs, checking for evidence of muscle problems, lameness, nerve issues, etc. Then, they will evaluate the abdomen, feeling around the bladder, kidneys, intestines, liver, stomach, and spleen, assessing whether these organs appear normal or abnormal and checking for signs of discomfort.

The vet will request a one-time fresh sample of your pet’s feces for the wellness examination, there is no need to check monthly unless the vet notices parasites or diarrhea. Fecal examinations are important for puppies and kittens since it is common for them to have intestinal parasites from their mom, children being in the house, or the environment. A number of these intestinal parasites can infect humans. Young children are especially at risk for parasite infection from our pets.

Wellness screening tests are recommended, like a complete blood count (CBC), a urinalysis, and a blood chemistry profile. Younger animals with no noticeable health issues might require simpler testing, while middle-aged or geriatric pets might require more comprehensive testing.

Vaccination recommendations will be provided based on your pets lifestyle, home location, and age. Once the entire exam is complete and your pet has received their vaccinations, your vet will take the time to discuss examination findings and overall health assessment findings with you. If they have noticed any signs of injury or illness, they will speak with you in more detail about diagnostics or available treatment options.