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COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS |
What should I expect?
Welcome! Come on in! Once you enter the exam room a technician and assistant will get a basic history, check overall health and start drawing blood, trimming nails, getting vaccines set-up. Whatever the veterinarian might need is prepared prior to her arrival.
A complete and thorough exam will be done every time your pet is brought in- whether for vomiting or for a torn toe-nail. Since animals can’t talk, we want to be sure that nothing is missed.
This is the best time to bring up any problems or concerns you may have, or any changes your pet may be experiencing. We may not be able to address multiple problems in one visit, but at least we can get started with a game-plan for future treatments.
For most procedures, you can stay with your pet, if you wish. Sometimes though, some pets are braver and better behaved when not protecting their family.
Welcome! Come on in! Once you enter the exam room a technician and assistant will get a basic history, check overall health and start drawing blood, trimming nails, getting vaccines set-up. Whatever the veterinarian might need is prepared prior to her arrival.
A complete and thorough exam will be done every time your pet is brought in- whether for vomiting or for a torn toe-nail. Since animals can’t talk, we want to be sure that nothing is missed.
This is the best time to bring up any problems or concerns you may have, or any changes your pet may be experiencing. We may not be able to address multiple problems in one visit, but at least we can get started with a game-plan for future treatments.
For most procedures, you can stay with your pet, if you wish. Sometimes though, some pets are braver and better behaved when not protecting their family.
So what exactly is occurring during my pet's exam?
A comprehensive physical examination starts with baseline information:
Presenting Complaint: "Why" are you bringing your pet in? General care, vaccines, annual tests, etc? Limping? Vomiting? Your pet may be coming in for one reason, but other concerns may be discovered.
History: "What" has been going on? "When" did it start? Is it getting worse? What other things have been occurring in your pet's life? In your life and household?
Previous Problems: Did your pet injure the same leg before? Does he get ear infections every Spring?
Medications: What kind of food does your pet eat? How about treats or people food? Is your pet on parasite preventatives? Does your pet receive medications for health problems? Do you give vitamins or supplements?
While we are discussing these questions, we are also observing your pet and forming a Subjective assessment:
Is your pet happy, bright and active?
Is she nervous, anxious or fearful?
Is he acting lethargic or dull?
How does your pet interact with you or hospital staff members?
Then comes the actual Objective examination. Many body systems will be evaluated. Some will be assessed in greater detail or more briefly depending on the condition of your pet and the presenting problem.
Next we put our detective skills to work to create an Analysis of the situation.
We'll come up with a summary of the History and Exam findings and from that we'll make a list of the problems, whether they're related or not, what could be causing them and how likely those causes are. This list changes based on many factors such as: diagnostic test results ("There's a squeaker toy visible on her X-ray."), new information presented ("When we got home, we found a chewed package of rat poison.") or a pet's response to treatment ("Since we started that new medication, he stopped limping!")
Then we'll formulate a Plan.
This plan can be diagnostic tests: checking a stool sample, taking X-rays, looking at ear wax under the microscope.
The plan might be a specific treatment: stitching a wound, trimming a broken toe nail, expressing anal sacs.
Plans often involve medication: applying a flea preventative, giving antibiotics, administering vaccines.
The plan might involve lifestyle changes: reduce your pet's calories, no running for 6 weeks.
Some plans call for monitoring and reassessment: itching should decrease within 1 week, return for X-rays if he's still limping after 2 weeks.
The plan might be to continue everything just as you have been doing!
A comprehensive physical examination starts with baseline information:
Presenting Complaint: "Why" are you bringing your pet in? General care, vaccines, annual tests, etc? Limping? Vomiting? Your pet may be coming in for one reason, but other concerns may be discovered.
History: "What" has been going on? "When" did it start? Is it getting worse? What other things have been occurring in your pet's life? In your life and household?
Previous Problems: Did your pet injure the same leg before? Does he get ear infections every Spring?
Medications: What kind of food does your pet eat? How about treats or people food? Is your pet on parasite preventatives? Does your pet receive medications for health problems? Do you give vitamins or supplements?
While we are discussing these questions, we are also observing your pet and forming a Subjective assessment:
Is your pet happy, bright and active?
Is she nervous, anxious or fearful?
Is he acting lethargic or dull?
How does your pet interact with you or hospital staff members?
Then comes the actual Objective examination. Many body systems will be evaluated. Some will be assessed in greater detail or more briefly depending on the condition of your pet and the presenting problem.
- Cardiovascular: We listen to your pet's heart. We check the rate and rhythm. We listen to both sides and all four valves, listening for murmurs (noises from abnormal blood flow). We check that pulse rate in the legs matches the heart.
- Respiratory: We watch how your pet breathes. Is she comfortable and breathing easily? Is he panting from excitement or because of a problem? We listen to the lung fields on both sides of the chest. We also check the upper airway by feeling and listening to the trachea (windpipe) and watching and listening to air flow in the mouth and nostrils.
- Abdomen: When we feel your pet's belly, we're checking for pain, bloating, tumors and abnormal fat, gas or fluid. We feel all the organs (stomach, liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder and intestines) to make sure they are of normal shape, size and texture.
- Genital Area: Is your pet's penis or vagina normal? Is there any abnormal discharge? Any masses around the mammary glands or nipples? How are your dog's anal sacs or prostate? Is your pet spayed or castrated?
- Mouth: We smell your pet's breath. We look at the color and health of your pet's gums. We assess the amount of tartar or dental disease. We look for tumors, ulcers or objects.
- Nose: We check for airflow, snorting or snoring. Is there any discharge or congestion in either or both nostrils? We feel your pet's muzzle for changes, swelling or pain.
- Ears: We look at your pet's pinnas (ear flaps) for swelling, itchiness, scabs or flakiness. We use an otoscope to check inside your pet's ear canals for pain, inflammation, irritation, discharge, wax and to assess his ear drum.
- Eyes: We look at your pet's eyes for swelling, redness or discharge. We use an ophthalmoscope to check the cornea, lens and retina. We assess vision and light reflexes.
- Musculo-Skeletal: Is your pet too heavy? Too thin? Is there good muscle mass and tone? Is early arthritis creeping in?
- Cutaneous: How is your pet's skin and coat? We look, of course, for parasites such as fleas, but we also look at overall patterns. Is there hair loss, itchiness, inflammation, scabs, bumps, pimples, flakiness, greasiness, dryness. We consider allergies, nutrition, endocrine or metabolic problems.
- Neurologic: Many parts of the general exam and a pet's history may make us suspicious of a neurologic problem. Limping, weakness, collapse, vision deficits or seizures can be signs of many problems including epilepsy, brain tumors, slipped disks, etc.
- Lymph Nodes: Enlarged lymph nodes may be a signs of infection, inflammation or cancer. We assess lymph nodes throughout your pet's body.
Next we put our detective skills to work to create an Analysis of the situation.
We'll come up with a summary of the History and Exam findings and from that we'll make a list of the problems, whether they're related or not, what could be causing them and how likely those causes are. This list changes based on many factors such as: diagnostic test results ("There's a squeaker toy visible on her X-ray."), new information presented ("When we got home, we found a chewed package of rat poison.") or a pet's response to treatment ("Since we started that new medication, he stopped limping!")
Then we'll formulate a Plan.
This plan can be diagnostic tests: checking a stool sample, taking X-rays, looking at ear wax under the microscope.
The plan might be a specific treatment: stitching a wound, trimming a broken toe nail, expressing anal sacs.
Plans often involve medication: applying a flea preventative, giving antibiotics, administering vaccines.
The plan might involve lifestyle changes: reduce your pet's calories, no running for 6 weeks.
Some plans call for monitoring and reassessment: itching should decrease within 1 week, return for X-rays if he's still limping after 2 weeks.
The plan might be to continue everything just as you have been doing!
No way did all that just happen!
Yes, it did! Veterinarians perform thousands and thousands of physical exams a year. We know animals only have limited patience, so we become very quick. Obviously, if your pet can't breathe, we won't be so concerned about waxy ears. If your pet is trying to eat us, we may not be able to look at her molars. We may spend a few minutes on an overall exam, and then the rest is focused on that painful knee or bloodshot eye.
Can we take care of every problem today? Probably not. If we have a 20 minute conversation about all the different foods your pet is or isn't fed, we may not have time to have a different 20 minute conversation about why he's peeing on your daughter's beanbag chair. Some problems are inter-related and by taking care of one we may help many: putting your dog on a diet may help with his weight, the strain on his knees which is causing his limping, decrease how hard he's panting and reduce how much gas he's passing.
Sometimes we perform tests to confirm something we're suspicious of. Sometimes it's to decide among several diseases we're concerned about. Some tests we need to perform now. Some tests can be done later. Sometimes owners can't afford tests, or just don't want to do them. Sometimes routine tests are normal and we need to look further. Other times we'll just treat the symptoms.
There are often several treatment options. Each carries its own likelihood of success or failure. We make recommendations based on what's most likely to help your pet get well or stay well. Then we can try to help you decide what is the best option for your pet and for you. The more information we have, the better we can help. And it all starts with a comprehensive physical exam.
Yes, it did! Veterinarians perform thousands and thousands of physical exams a year. We know animals only have limited patience, so we become very quick. Obviously, if your pet can't breathe, we won't be so concerned about waxy ears. If your pet is trying to eat us, we may not be able to look at her molars. We may spend a few minutes on an overall exam, and then the rest is focused on that painful knee or bloodshot eye.
Can we take care of every problem today? Probably not. If we have a 20 minute conversation about all the different foods your pet is or isn't fed, we may not have time to have a different 20 minute conversation about why he's peeing on your daughter's beanbag chair. Some problems are inter-related and by taking care of one we may help many: putting your dog on a diet may help with his weight, the strain on his knees which is causing his limping, decrease how hard he's panting and reduce how much gas he's passing.
Sometimes we perform tests to confirm something we're suspicious of. Sometimes it's to decide among several diseases we're concerned about. Some tests we need to perform now. Some tests can be done later. Sometimes owners can't afford tests, or just don't want to do them. Sometimes routine tests are normal and we need to look further. Other times we'll just treat the symptoms.
There are often several treatment options. Each carries its own likelihood of success or failure. We make recommendations based on what's most likely to help your pet get well or stay well. Then we can try to help you decide what is the best option for your pet and for you. The more information we have, the better we can help. And it all starts with a comprehensive physical exam.
