At Valencia Veterinary Center, our Santa Clarita vets focus our routine exams on preventative care. Regular schedule routine exams help keep your pet in good health.
The Importance of Preventive Care
Routine exams are key to helping your pet maintain and improve its physical health in the long-term.
Combined with scheduled vaccinations, parasite prevention, and a healthy diet, routine exams give your bet their best chance at excellent lifelong health and wellbeing.
Our vets are able to prevent health issues before they become more serious and when they are most treatable at these regular physical checkups.
What to Expect During Your Pet's Physical
One of our professional veterinary team members will give your pet a thorough physical exam to get a sense of their health and wellbeing. An exam includes the following elements:
General Condition
Our vets can find clues to how your pet is doing by observing and asking about their general demeanor and physical condition. The way they walk, stand, how alter they are and their weight can all be important indicators of their current health.
Coat & Skin
We will thoroughly check your pet's coat and skin for signs of health issues. These can include abnormal dryness or oiliness, bumps, lumps, dandruff, and excessive shedding or hair loss.
Face & Head
Your pet's nose, ears and eyes will all be checked as well for abnormalities or worrying discharge. Our vets will also check for symptoms of health problems in the mouth like periodontal disease or plaque buildup.
Internal Health
Your pet's heart health is indicated by their pulse, heart rate, rhythm and blood pressure. We will test these to make sure they are at regular levels. We will also check your pet's lungs for signs of abnormal breathing.
After this, lymph nodes will be examined for signs of swelling alongside the abdomen to make sure everything feels normal and that your beloved animal companion isn't showing signs of discomfort.
Puppies & Kittens
Kittens and puppies will need diligent medical attention throughout their first few weeks of life to set them up for lifelong health.
We will provide your new beloved pet a complete physical exam, deworming medicine and all the appropriate immunizations as well as testing for parasites. We will provide you with a new puppy or kitten kit with all sorts of information materials and samples to help you care for your new family member.
Ensure that you contact your Valencia Veterinary Center team if you have any questions or concerns about caring for your new pet, whether that be during your appointments or after.
Once your complete your pet's first appointment, you will need to return every so often for their 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.
As your pet ages, regular examinations become increasingly crucial to ensure their continuing health and longevity.
In addition to the routine wellness procedures we perform on all adult pets, we will give special attention to your senior pet's potential age-related conditions, such as arthritis or decreased vision. Additional laboratory tests will also provide information about your pet's overall health.
Vaccinations & Prevention
During your pet's physical exam, the veterinarian will also check whether they require preventive care, or if they are due for any routine vaccinations.