Benefits of Wellness Exam for Pets
Animals age much faster than humans. Disease prevention and early detection are crucial for pets to enjoy more time with beloved family members. Detecting illnesses early in animals, who cannot communicate verbally, can be challenging. And often result in diseases being advanced by the time symptoms are noticed.
Therefore, regular health checkups increase the likelihood of early disease detection, even when the animal appears healthy. Moreover, normal test results from checkups can serve as a baseline for interpreting future results if illness occurs.
Types of Examinations
Considering factors such as species and age, examinations are customized to individual conditions. Examples of tests conducted at our clinic include:
- Physical examination (palpation, auscultation, etc.)
- Blood tests
- Urinalysis
- Fecal examination
- Electrocardiography
- Blood pressure measurement
- X-ray examination
- Ultrasound (echocardiography)
- CT scans
- Endoscopic examination
Cancer Screening
In general, cancer may not show abnormalities in blood tests until it has progressed to a certain stage, emphasizing the importance of imaging in cancer screening. CT scans are particularly accurate, allowing for detailed 3D imaging and the detection of small lesions through contrast agents. However, since CT scans require anesthesia (sedation) for animals, a thorough pre-anesthetic evaluation is essential to assess the risks.
Even if there is resistance to general anesthesia, regular checks with X-ray or ultrasound examinations are crucial to ensure no significant abnormalities.
Frequency of Wellness Exam
We recommend annual checkups for younger animals and biannual checkups for seniors (aged 7 and older).
Procedure for Wellness Exam
Please inform us when booking if you wish to schedule a health checkup. Depending on the tests, your pet may need to fast before the appointment. Additionally, please schedule on a day when you have ample time, as examination durations vary. We strive to provide most test results, including blood tests, on the same day.
Case Report
Patient: Cat (American Shorthair), 14 years old, spayed female
Despite being a lively cat with no history of major illness, lung cancer was discovered during the annual health checkup. CT scans revealed no metastasis, confirming a single cancerous lesion, diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma. Following surgical removal and pathology, no recurrence has been observed one year post-surgery, and the cat continues to thrive.
