| Wellness Exams and Health Screening Brenda G. Mills, DVM |
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Fort Dodge Animal Health have teamed up to promote October as National
Pet Wellness Month. Their catch phrase is “Twice a Year for Life,” and their goal is to educate the public about the importance of well-
check examinations and health screens in monitoring and assessing the health of our pets.
A good well-check starts with a physical examination. A good physical examination goes beyond simply looking at the pet’s body and
using a stethoscope. A veterinarian’s physical examination should be a dialogue with the patient. In the world of human medicine, a
doctor may ask the patient a series of questions verbally to gain information. The veterinarian can ask such questions of the owner, but
the ability of an owner to really know how his or her pet is feeling varies greatly depending upon their relationship with the pet, the
amount of time they spend with the animal, their individual skills of observation, and their intuition. A lot of information must be gleaned
directly from the pet, and a good clinician will ask questions with their hands and read the answers in changes in body posture, pattern of
respiration, and vocalization. These changes are often subtle enough to be missed by the owner, who is watching the examination as it is
performed from only a few feet away.
In order to be able to assess a sick patient effectively, the veterinarian must have knowledge of the pet when it is healthy. What is his
demeanor normally like? Tense and anxious, or calm and relaxed? Crazed or hysterical? How does the animal normally breathe, and
what is his usual respiratory rate and pattern? Some dogs will pant hysterically and have a high heart rate, others will be panting
hysterically with a heart rate of 60 or 70. A high heart rate in a dog which usually has a low heart rate when excited is a big clue that
something is wrong. Is the pet usually tense when its abdomen is palpated? If not, tenseness can indicate belly pain. Does the animal
usually flip out about having his feet or his back touched? If not, we again have a major indicator of pain. Other things, such as pigment
spots on the iris of the eye or on the skin, a crooked toe, or physical asymmetry, may be noted on examinations which may be normal for
the pet but may be erroneously perceived as significant if the veterinarian caring for the pet when it falls ill is unfamiliar with the
animal. We usually use the term “baseline” in reference to laboratory values to indicate a set of data that represent what is “normal” for
an individual, but the well-check physical exam provides a baseline as well. That baseline will have more value if it is repeated on a
regular basis, at least once every year, but ideally once every six months.
The concept of health screening laboratory work has long been embraced by the veterinary community. We know that animals are
inconveniently adept at hiding illness, and that the best way to identify early disease in older pets is to run lab work every six to twelve
months. However, we are seeing diseases,previously believed to be “geriatric” problems, in younger animals more frequently now.
This may be due to changes in our environment and our pet’s lifestyles, or because we are becoming more aware and are looking at
younger animals more closely than we were fifteen years ago. In either case, a good argument can be made for routine laboratory
screening starting well before the age of six years. Not only does this allow us to check for errors in the function of the organs most
likely to fail, but it also allows us to build our baseline data on the patient.
The ideal, of course, would be to run a full blood panel with a complete chemistry profile, thyroid check, and blood count, and a
urinalysis once every 6 months starting at the age of one year. This is, however, slightly overkill for the average young pet. A “mini
profile” checking the major liver enzymes, BUN and creatinine for kidney function, blood protein levels, and a complete blood count
done once a year will screen for the major problems likely to arise in a younger pet. Depending on the pet’s physical condition, a
thyroid test might be recommended. Heartworm testing can be added at a minimal cost, and is recommended with annual bloodwork
even for pets who are on heartworm prevention. A urinalysis can screen for diabetes, urinary tract infection (which can be present
without the pet showing symptoms), urinary crystal formation, and numerous other problems with minimal cost. We recommend running
a urinalysis on each pet once every six months.
Our senior pets (age 6 and up for some dog breeds, seven and up for other dogs and for cats) merit somewhat more detailed health
screens. As we age, more things can go wrong within our bodies. This holds true for dogs and cats as much as it does for humans. A
complete chemistry profile including electrolyte values in addition to slightly more comprehensive enzymes than are included in the
“mini panel”, a thyroid check, heartworm test (for cats and dogs), and complete blood count are recommended for all pets annually. A
urine protein:creatinine ratio helps screen for inflammation or kidney disease not otherwise apparent in a urinalysis, and should be added
to the urinalysis once a year. Urinalyses are recommended once every six months, and various “mini panels” or full panels may be
recommended for your pet at its six month well-check, depending upon what medications your pet is receiving or what values were
abnormal the last time bloodwork was run.
Dogs and cats can develop high blood pressure. This is usually the result of some underlying disease process, but sometimes occurs on
its own. Checking your pets blood pressure is a relatively fast and simple process using the Doppler blood pressure monitor, and a
blood pressure check has been included in our senior well-check packages at both the annual and the six month exam.
Some breeds of dog and cat are more prone to heart disease than others. Screening with an electrocardiogram can help identify
arrythmias and heart enlargement. Animals with murmurs or animals that are considered to be “at risk” for developing heart disease may
benefit from routine ECG screening. Screening takes 15 minutes or less, and the ECG is transmitted by phone to Cardiopet, where it is
interpreted by a cardiologist. We can have results back the same day. Screening may be recommended annually for younger animals,
and twice yearly for senior pets.
Chest radiographs are useful in monitoring heart disease for progression, as well as for checking for tumors in the chest. Radiographs
may be recommended every six months or more often to monitor some conditions. Screening radiographs are offered in some of our well-
check packages.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta is currently recommending that all dogs and cats be dewormed with a broad spectrum
dewormer at least once every 6 months, to help prevent environmental contamination with and the transmission of zoonotic parasites to
people. We deworm with Drontal and Drontal Plus.
Pet Wellness Month. Their catch phrase is “Twice a Year for Life,” and their goal is to educate the public about the importance of well-
check examinations and health screens in monitoring and assessing the health of our pets.
A good well-check starts with a physical examination. A good physical examination goes beyond simply looking at the pet’s body and
using a stethoscope. A veterinarian’s physical examination should be a dialogue with the patient. In the world of human medicine, a
doctor may ask the patient a series of questions verbally to gain information. The veterinarian can ask such questions of the owner, but
the ability of an owner to really know how his or her pet is feeling varies greatly depending upon their relationship with the pet, the
amount of time they spend with the animal, their individual skills of observation, and their intuition. A lot of information must be gleaned
directly from the pet, and a good clinician will ask questions with their hands and read the answers in changes in body posture, pattern of
respiration, and vocalization. These changes are often subtle enough to be missed by the owner, who is watching the examination as it is
performed from only a few feet away.
In order to be able to assess a sick patient effectively, the veterinarian must have knowledge of the pet when it is healthy. What is his
demeanor normally like? Tense and anxious, or calm and relaxed? Crazed or hysterical? How does the animal normally breathe, and
what is his usual respiratory rate and pattern? Some dogs will pant hysterically and have a high heart rate, others will be panting
hysterically with a heart rate of 60 or 70. A high heart rate in a dog which usually has a low heart rate when excited is a big clue that
something is wrong. Is the pet usually tense when its abdomen is palpated? If not, tenseness can indicate belly pain. Does the animal
usually flip out about having his feet or his back touched? If not, we again have a major indicator of pain. Other things, such as pigment
spots on the iris of the eye or on the skin, a crooked toe, or physical asymmetry, may be noted on examinations which may be normal for
the pet but may be erroneously perceived as significant if the veterinarian caring for the pet when it falls ill is unfamiliar with the
animal. We usually use the term “baseline” in reference to laboratory values to indicate a set of data that represent what is “normal” for
an individual, but the well-check physical exam provides a baseline as well. That baseline will have more value if it is repeated on a
regular basis, at least once every year, but ideally once every six months.
The concept of health screening laboratory work has long been embraced by the veterinary community. We know that animals are
inconveniently adept at hiding illness, and that the best way to identify early disease in older pets is to run lab work every six to twelve
months. However, we are seeing diseases,previously believed to be “geriatric” problems, in younger animals more frequently now.
This may be due to changes in our environment and our pet’s lifestyles, or because we are becoming more aware and are looking at
younger animals more closely than we were fifteen years ago. In either case, a good argument can be made for routine laboratory
screening starting well before the age of six years. Not only does this allow us to check for errors in the function of the organs most
likely to fail, but it also allows us to build our baseline data on the patient.
The ideal, of course, would be to run a full blood panel with a complete chemistry profile, thyroid check, and blood count, and a
urinalysis once every 6 months starting at the age of one year. This is, however, slightly overkill for the average young pet. A “mini
profile” checking the major liver enzymes, BUN and creatinine for kidney function, blood protein levels, and a complete blood count
done once a year will screen for the major problems likely to arise in a younger pet. Depending on the pet’s physical condition, a
thyroid test might be recommended. Heartworm testing can be added at a minimal cost, and is recommended with annual bloodwork
even for pets who are on heartworm prevention. A urinalysis can screen for diabetes, urinary tract infection (which can be present
without the pet showing symptoms), urinary crystal formation, and numerous other problems with minimal cost. We recommend running
a urinalysis on each pet once every six months.
Our senior pets (age 6 and up for some dog breeds, seven and up for other dogs and for cats) merit somewhat more detailed health
screens. As we age, more things can go wrong within our bodies. This holds true for dogs and cats as much as it does for humans. A
complete chemistry profile including electrolyte values in addition to slightly more comprehensive enzymes than are included in the
“mini panel”, a thyroid check, heartworm test (for cats and dogs), and complete blood count are recommended for all pets annually. A
urine protein:creatinine ratio helps screen for inflammation or kidney disease not otherwise apparent in a urinalysis, and should be added
to the urinalysis once a year. Urinalyses are recommended once every six months, and various “mini panels” or full panels may be
recommended for your pet at its six month well-check, depending upon what medications your pet is receiving or what values were
abnormal the last time bloodwork was run.
Dogs and cats can develop high blood pressure. This is usually the result of some underlying disease process, but sometimes occurs on
its own. Checking your pets blood pressure is a relatively fast and simple process using the Doppler blood pressure monitor, and a
blood pressure check has been included in our senior well-check packages at both the annual and the six month exam.
Some breeds of dog and cat are more prone to heart disease than others. Screening with an electrocardiogram can help identify
arrythmias and heart enlargement. Animals with murmurs or animals that are considered to be “at risk” for developing heart disease may
benefit from routine ECG screening. Screening takes 15 minutes or less, and the ECG is transmitted by phone to Cardiopet, where it is
interpreted by a cardiologist. We can have results back the same day. Screening may be recommended annually for younger animals,
and twice yearly for senior pets.
Chest radiographs are useful in monitoring heart disease for progression, as well as for checking for tumors in the chest. Radiographs
may be recommended every six months or more often to monitor some conditions. Screening radiographs are offered in some of our well-
check packages.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta is currently recommending that all dogs and cats be dewormed with a broad spectrum
dewormer at least once every 6 months, to help prevent environmental contamination with and the transmission of zoonotic parasites to
people. We deworm with Drontal and Drontal Plus.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |