Although pets can seem incredibly durable – especially when they are younger – in reality, they are just as prone to illness and injury as their owners. It is important to get your pet a comprehensive exam on a regular basis, ideally at least once a year in young adults and twice yearly in your senior pets to ensure that your dog, cat or other furry companion remains in good health. At Balboa Pet Hospital, we offer pet comprehensive exams for dogs, cats, rabbits, and exotic pets throughout the San Francisco area. Please contact us now to learn more!
Why Your Pet Needs a Comprehensive Exam
We recommend comprehensive pet exams for a variety of reasons:
- Pets are good at hiding injury and illness.
Pets, especially cats, instinctively hide injury and illness as a protective measure. In the wild, it is the injured and the ill who are pursued first by predators because they offer the best odds of success. Your dog or cat may be hurt without ever showing signs of being so. - Keeping vaccines up to date is important.
By seeing your pet regularly, we can make sure that his or her vaccinations are up to date. We can also ensure your pet is getting the appropriate vaccinations for the lifestyle he or she lives. Vaccinations protect your pet from some of the most common and dangerous diseases out there, but only if they are kept up to date. - Spotting problems earlier usually mean they are easier to treat.
Often symptoms of the disease and other issues only show up to the untrained eye once they have developed significantly. Fortunately, as veterinarians, we are trained to spot problems much earlier. The sooner we notice a problem, the better we can usually treat the problem.
What is a Comprehensive Exam?
A comprehensive exam includes a number of different parts:
- Checking weight
- Examining eyes, ears, skin, nose, mouth, paws, etc. – every major part of your pet’s body
- Checking heart and lung health
- Looking at the health of teeth and gums
In addition to the physical exam, we will talk with you about any issues or concerns you have. We can discuss topics like diet, behavior, flea, tick & heartworm preventative and anything else that you would like. Most owners leave the exam feeling more secure about their pet because they get a chance to discuss concerns.
Annual & Semi-Annual Veterinary Exams – Ensuring Health and Longevity
Regular veterinary exams are a vital part of maintaining your pet’s health and ensuring a long lifespan. While accidents do happen, and there is no way to guarantee the future, a regular pet check-up exam is something you can do that you know will benefit your beloved companion.
Regular exams become especially important as your pet ages, which is why we recommend twice yearly exams in your senior pets. They allow us to address common problems that come with aging. We can make your pet as comfortable as possible, and help you ensure the best life for your dog, cat or other animals.
Schedule a Comprehensive Pet Exam
The best time to schedule your pet’s comprehensive exam is now. Please contact us at (415) 752-3300 today to schedule your pet’s check-up exam!