Wellness Care for Dogs

The Value of Canine Wellness Exams

Prevention and early detection are the keys to keeping your dog healthy. At Oyster Creek Animal Hospital, we recommend annual wellness examinations for your dog. Yearly wellness exams allow us to keep your dog healthy by developing a wellness care plan for your dog. This includes tailored vaccines, heartworm testing, parasite protection, and nutritional counseling. More importantly, annual wellness exams are important to catch underlying health problems early on, when treatment is most effective. The custom wellness plans below are developed based on your dog and his or her unique needs, including breed, age, lifestyle, medical history, and current health condition.

Our annual, comprehensive canine wellness exam includes:

• A thorough nose-to-tail physical examination
• A dental evaluation
• Vaccines tailored specifically to your dog’s lifestyle, age, health, and exposure risks
• Heartworm test and heartworm prevention
• Recommendations for parasite prevention and control (i.e. fleas, ticks, and worms)
• Nutritional counseling, including exercise habits
• Behavioral counseling

Please note that additional diagnostic testing may be recommended depending on our findings.

Wellness Care for New Puppies

Congratulations on the new addition to your family! Getting a new puppy is an exciting time, but can also bring up many questions and concerns (especially for first time dog owners). At Oyster Creek Animal Hospital, we are here to provide your new companion with everything he or she needs to grow up healthy and strong.

It is important to have your new puppy examined as soon as possible to make sure they are healthy and to vaccinate them against serious, preventable diseases. Our veterinarians will make sure they receive a healthy start in life through comprehensive wellness exams, customized vaccinations, parasite protection, and nutrition and weight management advice.

Your Puppy’s First Exam

Your new puppy’s first visit with us includes a comprehensive physical exam which allows us to establish a specialized wellness plan for your puppy going forward. During the wellness exam, we will perform:

• A comprehensive physical exam
• An intestinal parasite screening
• An intestinal parasite worming (if needed)
• Necessary vaccines or vaccine boosters

We will also take time to review:

• A vaccination program based on your puppy’s lifestyle and exposure risk
• Heartworm preventative recommendations
• Recommendations for flea and tick prevention
• Behavior and housetraining recommendations
• Nutritional counseling
• Behavior guidance
• Microchipping

Preparing for the Exam

For your puppy’s first visit, we request that you bring the following:

• Your puppy on a leash or in a dog carrier
• All paperwork pertaining to the previous care of your puppy including all previous immunizations, deworming, medications, and any veterinary records you may have. You may email these records to us as well
• Any questions you may have regarding your puppy’s health or behavior
• A fresh stool sample (less than 1 hour old ideally and no more than 6 hours old)

Wellness Care for Senior Dogs

Just like people, the medical needs of senior animals change over time. In fact, pets age at nearly seven times the rate humans do. As your cat or dog gets older they require different nutrition programs and exercise routines, and are prone to a variety of new diseases.

Common Age-Related Diseases:

• Kidney and liver disease
• Intestinal disorders
• Diabetes
• Joint and bone disease
• Breast and testicular cancer
• Cognitive difficulties

Symptoms to Look Out For

If you notice any of the following symptoms, we recommend you schedule an appointment with one of our veterinarians as soon as possible:

• Weight loss
• Decrease in appetite
• Excess urination
• Excess drinking
• Reduced exercise, reluctance to move, run, jump, etc.
• Perception of pain when your pet moves or is handled
• Any vomiting or diarrhea
• Infrequent urination or lack of bowel movements
• New lumps or bumps
• Change in dog’s energy level

Senior wellness exams will significantly increase your dog’s lifespan and quality of life. Our veterinarians at Oyster Creek Animal Hospital recommend biannual wellness exams for all senior dogs to keep them as healthy as possible. As your dog ages, normal changes take place and diseases may follow that can often affect their overall health, well-being, and comfort. With biannual senior wellness exams, we are able to monitor your senior dog’s health and detect, diagnose, and treat underlying medical conditions before they progress into serious problems that could affect your dog’s quality of life. When detected early and treated properly, many conditions can be prevented from progressing into more serious and sometimes life-threatening illnesses. Our goal is for you and your family dog to enjoy the longest, healthiest life together.

Our bi-annual comprehensive senior canine wellness exam includes:

• A thorough nose-to-tail examination
• A dental evaluation
• Vaccines tailored specifically to your dog’s lifestyle, age, health, and exposure risks
• Comprehensive diagnostic testing that may include a senior dog blood profile analysis (blood count and blood chemistry panel), urine and fecal analysis, x-rays, and blood and eye pressure testing
• Heartworm testing and prevention
• Recommendations for parasite prevention and control (i.e. fleas, ticks, and worms)
• Nutritional counseling, including exercise habits

Please note that additional diagnostic testing may be recommended depending on our findings.

Scheduled appointments are important throughout the years leading up to and during old age; the ASPCA recommends that senior pets see their veterinarian every six months. These visits establish the baseline health of your pet and are used to ensure that they are aging normally. Oyster Creek Animal Hospital veterinarians provide ongoing education to pet owners about what to expect from, and how to prepare for, elderly animals. Information about feeding and exercise changes is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep your pet comfortable in their old age.

Dog / Canine Wellness in Sugar Land, TX

We are always available to answer questions or concerns you may have about your aging companion. Make An Appointment today to discover the many ways Oyster Creek Animal Hospital can help your senior pet!