Cat & Dog Wellness Exams

Routine exams offered by the vets at Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital focus on preventive care for your dog or cat throughout their life. These routine exams are pet checkups that help us to make sure that your pet remains in good health. 

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What to Expect During Your Pet's Physical

Our Capitola vets will give your pet a physical checkup and assessment as part of their routine wellness exam in order to get a better picture of their overall health and well-being. At our hospital, routine wellness exams can include any of the following elements:

General Condition

Your pet's general physical condition and demeanor can actually give us some clue as to their overall health and well-being. The way your pet stands and walks, their level of alertness and their weight when compared to their size and breed can all be important signals to their overall health, comfort and well-being. 

Coat & Skin

During your dog or cat's checkup, we will examine your pet's skin and coat for signs of problems, including excessive oiliness or dryness, lumps, bumps, dandruff, or abnormal hair loss or shedding.

Face & Head

We will examine your pet's eyes, ears and nose for abnormalities like discharge. We will also carefully assess their mouth for any symptoms of oral health issues like periodontal disease or plaque buildup.

Internal Health

Heart rate and rhythm, pulse, and blood pressure are vitally important to your pet's heart health. We'll test these to ensure they're normal. The lungs will then be examined for evidence of abnormal breathing. 

Lymph nodes will be checked for pain or swelling, and we will also examine the abdomen to ensure the intestines, kidneys, bladder, spleen, liver, and stomach all feel normal, and that your pet is not exhibiting any signs of discomfort. 

Review of Findings

At the end of your cat or dog's checkup examination, our vets will take some time to discuss any concerns you may have about your pet's overall health and well-being as well as speak with you about your cat or dog's nutritional requirements if we find any specific needs they have that aren't being met by their diet.

Checkups for Puppies & Kittens

Kittens and puppies require proper medical attention all throughout their first year, but especially during their first few weeks of life. By giving your pet the care they need, you help them start their life off on the right foot with respect to their health care. 

We'll give your new best friend a complete physical examination, appropriate immunizations, and deworming medication. We will also test for intestinal parasites.

Please never hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have about caring for your new pet, both at your appointments or following your visits.

Once your puppy or kitten's checkup is complete, you'll return periodically for his or her required booster shots. 

Seniors

With recent advances in veterinary medical knowledge and care, as well as newer therapies and better nutrition, senior pets are living longer than ever.

While this is terrific news for pets and their owners, it means that special attention needs to be given to your pet's routine healthcare as they age. As your pet surpasses middle age, regular examinations become increasingly crucial to ensure their continuing health and longevity. 

On top of the routine wellness checks and exams that we perform on all of our adult patients, we will give special attention to your senior pet. This way we will have a better chance of detecting conditions in your pet as they arise.

Additional laboratory tests may be recommended for aging pets to provide more detailed information about your senior pet's overall health and wellbeing.