Our pets age at a much faster rate than humans. For example, one year for us is equivalent to seven for dogs and cats. Much can happen to an individual’s medical status in seven years or even three years. In our pets, that’s one year and six months respectively. Most changes from the normal are seen after our pets reach seven years of age. Therefore, we have derived the wellness exam to catch disease early. By diagnosing certain ailments before our pets show clinical signs of them, we can hopefully remedy the problems, prevent them from getting worse, or slow down its progression. In those individuals that do not show abnormalities in their blood work, urine, or X-rays, we now can attain knowledge of what is normal for them and a peace of mind as well. If you have any further questions about the wellness exam, feel free to ask Dr. Cruz or any of his staff. ***ONLY FOR HEALTHY PATIENTS***
SEVEN YEARS-TEN YEARS
1. Examination
2. Extended diagnostic blood profile
3. Urinalysis with sedimentation
4. Medical waste fee
11 YEARS AND OLDER
1. Examination
2. Extended diagnostic blood profile
3. Urinalysis with sedimentation
4. Radiograph (3 views)
5. Medical waste fee
DENTISTRY
Dental disease among pets is more common than you may think. In fact, poor dental hygiene is often linked to more serious health conditions. Regular, preventative dental cleaning is key to a better, healthier life. Your pet’s teeth and gums should be checked at least once a year by our veterinarian to check for early signs of a problem and to keep your pet’s mouth healthy.Common symptoms of dental disease include:
- Bad breath
- Redness of the gums
- Excessive drooling
- Difficulty chewing
- Plaque on the teeth and gum line
- Decreased appetite
- Teeth chattering
- Grinding the teeth
- Weight loos
- Sneezing and Nasal Discharge
- Irritability
- Mouthing and Pawing
The dental cleaning includes the following:
A complete oral exam and radiographs (x-rays) to identify any problems beneath the gum-line. (This is similar to the x-rays you might receive from your own dentist.) Common painful problems that could be identified with radiographs are broken teeth and roots, periodontal disease, dead teeth, abscesses or infected teeth. A full cleaning under the gum-line where periodontal disease lurks under anesthesia. Our veterinarians will perform preanesthetic blood tests to ensure that kidney and liver function are satisfactory for anesthesia and mandatory if your pet is 7 years old or older. It would be impossible to clean this area on an awake dog or cat, but this is where periodontal disease begins with bacteria ‘living’ below the gum tissue. Professional scaling and polishing of the crown, or visible part of your dog or cat’s teeth. It will require scaling or scraping the tooth to remove plaque and calculus. Scaling is completed to remove plaque and tartar build-up on the tooth crown. Last, the teeth are polished leaving a completely smooth surface of the tooth which discourages plaque and bacteria from adhering to the rough tooth surface.
We encourage at-home dental care to decrease oral bacteria and plaque build-up in between exams and cleanings. We will discuss at-home dental care such as how to brush your pet’s teeth, and suggest products such as pet toothpastes, toothbrushes, oral solutions, treats, and toys.