Wellness Care

Helping Your Animals Live Their Best Lives

As medical professionals, the Troy & Wentzville Veterinary Clinics understand that the best means to keep your pet healthy as well as to limit the lifetime cost of care is through preventative medical care. The cornerstone of any preventative care program is regular wellness exams.

During your pet’s wellness exam, your veterinarian will:

Examine your pet’s lungs

There are a number of health issues that can be detected by listening to your pet’s lungs. These include respiratory infections, obstructive diseases and other pulmonary issues.

Check your pet’s heart

Your veterinarian can tell a lot about the health of your pet’s heart by listening for murmurs and other irregular heart beat patterns through a stethoscope. Identifying an irregular beat or indications of obstruction may lead to early diagnosis and treatment.

Take a look at the teeth and oral cavity

Proper oral health is important for maintaining the overall systemic health of your pet because these infections can enter the blood stream and infect other areas of the body. Dental disease is also one of the most common health issues in pets as well as one of the most preventable.

Look at your pet’s eyes

Ocular conditions such as glaucoma are relatively common in older pets and, as with other vision-related issues, can be well treated when discovered early.

Examine the ears

Infections, ear mites, low-grade allergies and other related health issues are fairly common in companion animals. It is relatively easy for your veterinarian to take a look inside the ears to see if there are any indications of ear disease.

Examine the lymph nodes, abdomen and skin

Your veterinarian will look for any unusual bumps or swellings as well as skin discolorations, lesions, and hair loss, which can indicate the presence of dermatological conditions or even systemic illness such as metabolic diseases.

Palpate joints and muscles

Arthritis and other orthopedic issues are relatively common in companion animals, especially those older than about six years of age. However, early detection and treatment can help relieve pain and offer your pet many more active years.

Lab testing

While your veterinarian’s four senses are good at helping detect a number of health issues, laboratory testing allows us to evaluate the function of internal organs, blood, and other systems. These tests are critical for uncovering underlying disease processes that otherwise would remain unnoticed until they cause serious symptoms in your pet.