Health Maintenance / Wellness Exam


Maintaining your pets health through a long life is the goal of all responsible pet owners.  The veterinarians and staff at the Oxford Veterinary Hospital are trained and committed to help you achieve that goal with our preventative health care program which includes vaccination, parasite control, dietary counseling, and regular Wellness Exams.

An appointment for a Wellness Exam is recommended yearly up to 7 years of age, then twice yearly thereafter.

Our appointments are scheduled for 20 minutes duration with our veterinarians.  Checking in may take about 10 minutes.  Therefore, we recommend you arrive at least 10 minute before your scheduled appointment, allowing the veterinarian adequate opportunity to address all your pet's health maintenance needs.

When possible, always collect and submit samples of both your pet's urine and stool.  The stool is tested for microscopic parasites that may be infecting your pet without symptoms.  The urine should be tested yearly to make sure there are no infections. 

If you have medical records from other veterinary facilities, bring them along or have them faxed to us before your appointment.

Wellness Exams (Preventative Health Care Visits) begin when checking in at our front desk where the receptionist will record current weight of your pet for comparison to previous visits.  Then they will review the reason for the visit.  After this is done either the receptionist or technician will interview you concerning all aspect of your pets life style including diet,  flea control , tick control,  heartworm preventative, supplements/vitamins, and medication given.   Past medical history may need to be reviewed.  Your observations of any signs of disease are very important and will be recorded so they can be addressed by the veterinarian. 

In the exam room, a technician will measure your pet's body temperature, take the urine and stool samples you provide, check your pet for presence of fleas, and collect a blood sample for scheduled blood tests.  We recommend a yearly fecal exam, lyme/erlichia/anaplasma/heartworm disease testing for dogs, and blood work panels depending on age. For your cat we recommend feline leukemia/aids testing every other year on outside cats.  Also, we recommend fecal tests being done yearly.

 
Your veterinarian, Dr. Mease or Dr. Gaultney will then review the information gathered, possibly asking for more details on issues of concern.  After that your veterinarian
will conduct a thorough physical exam, checking all your pet's major systems including heart, lungs, skin, and teeth for evidence of problems or signs of pain or discomfort.  Based on your pet's information and the veterinarians findings during the exam an individualized Preventative Care Plan will be recommended.   This usually includes parasite control, routine dental cleanings, nutrition, vaccination, and blood work panel.