Wellness exams are an essential component of pet care. The American Veterinary Association, the Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners caution that all dogs and cats should be examined every six months. Wellness exams are similar to the check-ups that we receive in human medicine.

However, because cats and dogs have a much shorter life span, aging occurs at a much faster rate. Because aging occurs faster, diseases, especially diseases of the heart and kidneys, progress very quickly. It is, therefore, very important for pets to be brought in on a bi-annual basis for assessments.

Our wellness exams include age appropriate testing. These tests include blood work, urinalysis and x-rays. Of course, the exact type of testing we will do is based on the general health of your pet, its breed and its age.

You can do a good deal on a daily basis at home that will have positive effects on your pet's health. We will help you to learn what you can do for your pet.

Feeding your pet a good quality, age and breed appropriate diet is one of the best things that you can do for your cat or dog. Just like humans, diet is everything. Please see us for a diet consultation, as there are ways we can guide you that will be appropriate for your pet's age, size and health. For instance, we know that large breed dogs are prone to hip dysplasia. There are food and nutritional choices that can be made to help assuage the pain and slow the progression of this terrible condition.

Indoor cats live longer so consider keeping your cat as an indoor pet. Indoor cats make better neighbors leaving birds, small animals, and gardens alone for others to enjoy.

Pets living in all areas should be given heartworm medication year round.

Exercise is very important to your pet. Dogs need to be walked twice a day for at least 15 minutes. We like to remind people that these walks are as good for the owner as they are for the pet. Cats need exercise too, even though we don't think of it as often. Don't worry; exercising a cat is easy. Toys on a string, and toys that make them jump and run provide the best kind of exercise. Even small balls of paper wadded into balls and tossed around can keep a cat busy for a long time.