Pet Wellness

Inspecting Your Pet from Head to Toe

In addition to yearly vaccinations, Westminster Veterinary Group recommends that you bring your pet in for periodic wellness exams. Even healthy pets should be checked from head to toe once a year to ensure that they are in tip-top condition. If you have a pet with chronic disorders or health problems, you should visit a veterinarian more regularly depending on your pet’s condition.

Every time you bring your pet to Westminster Veterinary Group, our professional staff will thoroughly examine your pet. Whether you bring in your dog for yearly vaccinations or schedule your cat for a dental visit, we will inspect the pet from nose to tail. Your doctor will also make recommendations on the best possible diet, appropriate fecal and heartworm testing, flea, heartworm and intestinal parasite prevention, and any appropriate vaccinations. We want to ensure optimal health and longevity for your companion! As part of these periodic pet wellness examinations, we will examine the following:

• Weight: A significant weight gain or loss could be a warning sign that your pet is sick or suffering from a medical condition.
• Skin: We check your pet’s skin for parasites, lesions, abnormal growths, dryness or other skin conditions. We also make sure that your pet’s coat looks shiny and healthy.
• Eyes: We examine your pet’s eyes to look for cataracts or retinal disease. Sometimes eye issues signify that a pet has other problems, such as an infection or high blood pressure.
• Ears: We inspect your pet’s ears for infections or parasites.
• Mouth: We check the pet’s mouth for lesions, tumors, tartar build-up on the teeth or inflamed and irritated gums.
• Abdomen: We feel your pet’s abdomen to check for any irregularities in organ size and shape.
• Heart and Lungs: We listen to your pet’s lungs and heart with a stethoscope to ensure that your dog or cat’s breathing and heartbeat sound healthy and normal.