Wellness exams

Who this is for

Every dog and cat on our books, once a year as a minimum. From seven onwards we recommend twice yearly, because a year is a long time in an older animal and most of what we find at that stage is easier to treat early.

What’s involved

A full physical examination, nose to tail. We check weight and body condition, listen to the heart and chest, look at eyes, ears, skin and coat, feel the abdomen, check the joints, and look in the mouth.

• Weight trend against previous visits

• Heart and lung sounds

• Eyes, ears, teeth and gums

• Skin, coat and any lumps

• Joints and mobility

• Parasite cover and vaccination status

What happens on the day

You’ll have twenty minutes, which is longer than it sounds and deliberately so. The examination takes about half of it. The rest is for the conversation: what you’ve noticed at home, what’s changed, what you’re unsure about.

If we find something that needs following up, you’ll get the reasoning and the cost before anything is booked.

How to prepare

Bring a list of anything they’re currently taking, and note down what you’ve noticed even if it seems minor. If your pet is anxious, tell us when you book and we’ll put you in a quieter slot.

Afterwards

You’ll leave with a written summary of what we found and what, if anything, we recommend next. If we run tests, we call you with the results rather than making you chase us.

Cost

A standard wellness consultation is charged at our consultation rate, currently [price]. Vaccinations and parasite treatment are separate and quoted at the time.