Wellness exams are often also referred to as 'general examinations' or ‘check-ups’. These examinations provide a detailed medical check-up of your pet who appears to be healthy, rather than when they are ill. Wellness exams help to achieve your pet’s optimal health, while diagnosing common diseases which are more easily treatable if diagnosed early on. Not only does treating a disease or medical issue at an early stage typically cost far less than once it has become more advanced, but early treatment also usually increases the chance of a successful outcome for your pet.

There’s no definite answer to this question as it really depends on your pet’s current health status and age. However, we recommend that during the early stages of life when they are most susceptible to illness, kittens and puppies should be checked on a monthly basis. Once they have reached adulthood, wellness exams should then take place on an annual basis and become more frequent as they become older (generally twice-yearly). These check-ups play a vital role in the ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach, so we really do encourage you to visit us regularly even if your pet appears to be fit and healthy to you.

During a wellness exam, your vet will begin with asking you questions about your pet’s general health, specifically to do with diet, behaviour, litterbox routine, and day to day living habits. They will also ask you whether you’ve noticed anything out of the ordinary, that you’d like us to provide guidance on. The veterinary team will then carry out a full physical examination of your pet, including conducting diagnostic tests (such as urine and faecal testing, blood work, and tick-borne testing).

Once assessed, the vet will present the relevant findings with you. If the vet has detected any signs of ill health or injuries, then they may recommend carrying out more extensive diagnostic tests, while also presenting any potential treatment options. This may include preventative medicine, such as vaccinations, parasite control (for both external parasites such as fleas, ticks and ear mites, and internal parasites such as worms or heartworm), nutrition, skin and coat care, joint health, weight management, or dental care. For healthy pets, your vet will still provide you with advice to ensure that this condition continues, including guidance on their diet, regular exercise routines, future vaccination info, and suitable parasite prevention.

Wellness exams help to prevent commonly treatable diseases and play a huge part in the 'prevention is better than cure' approach. Not only is the cost of prevention generally far less than dealing with a problem once it has developed further, but early treatment generally increases the likelihood of a successful outcome. That’s why we recommend carrying out regular examinations with our expert medical teams.