A wellness visit is where we get to know your pet while they are well — so that when something changes, we already know what normal looks like for them. Being proactive rather than reactive means we catch illness early, when treatment is simpler, cheaper, and far more likely to work.
What happens at a wellness visit
Every wellness visit starts with a full nose-to-tail physical examination: ears, eyes, mouth and teeth, skin and coat, lymph nodes, abdomen, joints, and a careful listen to the heart and lungs. Much of what we find first, we find with our hands and a stethoscope — a heart murmur, a dental problem, a mass that was not there last year, weight that has crept up or fallen away.
Then we talk. About how they are doing at home, what has changed, what you have noticed and shrugged off. That conversation is often the most diagnostically useful part of the appointment, because you see your pet every day and we do not.
- Complete physical examination — ears, nose, throat, mouth, teeth, and skin
- Heart and lung auscultation for normal function
- Age-appropriate diagnostic testing — urinalysis and blood work
- Core vaccinations per AAHA guidelines
- Parasite prevention, weight management, and nutritional counseling
How often your pet should be seen
For most healthy adult dogs and cats, once a year is right. Puppies and kittens need a series of visits in their first months as their vaccine protection builds. Senior pets — roughly seven and up for most dogs, a little later for cats — do better on a twice-yearly schedule, because a year is a long time in a senior body and a lot can change between visits.
Pets with an ongoing condition, or on long-term medication, are on their own schedule. We will tell you what we think and why, and then it is a decision we make together.
Vaccines, honestly
Vaccination is one of the clearest wins in veterinary medicine, and it is also an area where pets are routinely over-vaccinated. We follow the AAHA and AAFP guidelines, which separate core vaccines — the ones nearly every pet should have — from non-core vaccines that depend on where your pet goes and what they do.
A dog who hikes, boards, and swims in standing water has a different risk profile from a dog who walks the same block twice a day. We will build the plan around the animal in front of us. Not every vaccine is necessary for every pet, and we will say so.
Bloodwork before it is urgent
Age-appropriate blood and urine testing gives us a baseline while your pet is healthy. That baseline is what makes next year meaningful: a kidney value that is technically still normal but has moved is a signal we can act on early, and one we would miss entirely without something to compare it against.
Early kidney disease, thyroid disorders, diabetes, and liver changes are all far more manageable when found before they cause symptoms. By the time a pet looks unwell, these conditions are usually well established.
Common questions
How often does my dog or cat need a wellness exam?
Most healthy adult dogs and cats should be examined once a year. Puppies and kittens need a series of visits over their first few months, and senior pets — around seven and older for most dogs — benefit from twice-yearly exams, because significant changes can develop within a single year.
Does my indoor cat still need veterinary care?
Yes. Indoor cats are still susceptible to dental disease, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and obesity — none of which depend on going outside. Cats are also skilled at hiding illness, so a physical exam and bloodwork often find problems long before an owner notices anything wrong.
What vaccines does my pet actually need?
Core vaccines are recommended for nearly all pets — rabies and distemper-parvo combinations for dogs, rabies and FVRCP for cats. Non-core vaccines such as leptospirosis, Lyme, Bordetella, and feline leukemia depend on your pet’s lifestyle and exposure risk. We build the schedule around your individual pet rather than vaccinating for everything by default.
Why does my healthy pet need blood work?
Baseline blood work on a healthy pet gives us something to compare against later. Many conditions — kidney disease, thyroid disorders, diabetes — develop gradually, and a value that is still within the normal range but has shifted from your pet’s own baseline is an early signal we can act on.
What should I bring to a wellness appointment?
Any previous medical records, a list of current medications and supplements including doses, the brand of food you feed, and a note of anything you have noticed at home — changes in drinking, appetite, energy, or bathroom habits. If your pet is due for a urine or stool sample, a fresh one saves a visit.
References & further reading
The guidance on this page follows current veterinary consensus. These are the sources behind it, if you would like to read further.
- Canine and Feline Vaccination Guidelines — AAHA
- Pet owner resources on preventive care — AVMA
- Routine health care of dogs — Merck Veterinary Manual