Pet Wellness Services | Veterinarians in Duluth MN

Wellness Care

Regular wellness exams are one of the most important things you can do to keep your pet healthy. We perform nose to tail comprehensive physical examinations on every patient, from newborn puppies to elderly seniors in order to monitor their lifelong health. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends annual wellness exams at a minimum and as your pet ages, they suggest an increase in frequency of visits. Pets age much faster than humans and health problems can emerge and progress very quickly. Prevention and early detection are the key to a longer, healthier life.

During a physical exam, your doctor will evaluate all your pet’s physical parameters such as age, size, and breed. We will discuss your pet's history, lifestyle and environment, as well as changes in temperament and appearance to identify risk factors for diseases or health concerns. We perform annual blood screening that allows us to detect the early stages of kidney and liver disease, diabetes, low protein values, and electrolyte imbalances. Many problems show no outward symptoms until damage is already done in the body. Blood testing on younger patients allows us to establish a baseline for your pet as they age, and we can more quickly find and treat underlying problems. We believe strongly in preventative care and have developed wellness protocols for every stage of your pet's life.

During an annual exam, the doctor will check your pet from nose to tail. Some of the key things we look at include:

Skin: Our doctors check the overall health of the skin, as well as look for any lesions, growths, skin infections, evidence of parasites such as fleas, mites, or ticks, or any worries that should be addressed. We will also evaluate your pet's hair coat health and thickness, as this can be an indicator of overall health.

Ears: We will take a look from the outside ear flap and into the ear canal to check for the beginnings of infection such as swelling, redness, or discharge, as well as common parasites such as ear mites.

Eyes: In checking the eyes, we will look for any age-related changes that indicate the beginnings of vision loss, as well as any sign of eye infection or growths around the eyelids.

Teeth: Checking the teeth and gums will help determine whether your pet requires a dental cleaning and can give us a good indication of overall oral health. We look for cracked, broken, or worn teeth, pockets of abscess or infection, masses, redness and inflammation of the gums. A large percentage of the tooth is below the gumline, so dental cleaning and x-rays can find problems that are not visible to the eyes.

Abdomen: Palpation of the abdomen can indicate if the organs feel the correct size and location and help evaluate the kidneys, liver, pancreas, and bladder health.

Heart/Lungs: Doctors check for heart murmurs, pulse quality, and arrhythmia. The lungs and breathing sounds are also checked. This provides a great comparison to last year's exam where any changes can be noted, treated, and monitored over time.

Lumps/Growths: Bumps and growths on the body can range from nothing to worry about to serious medical concerns. Early detection is the key to successful cancer treatment. Cancer can show up in any part of the body, and comprehensive physicals are a key component to finding these abnormalities. We can even perform needle biopsies during an exam for more rapid information on the cells within a lump found on the body.

Joints: Pets can hide pain or discomfort caused by muscle strain, arthritis, or limb weakness. Joints are felt by the doctor to ensure they are properly rotating and extending during movement and we will evaluate the way your pet sits, stands, and walks.

Nutrition: Just like in humans, the fuel put into your pet's body can make a huge impact on overall health and longevity. Diet can help maintain a healthy weight and active lifestyle, and can also help manage problems such as diabetes, kidney or liver disease, allergies, joint issues, urinary problems, and more.

Behavior: Obtaining a pet's history is very important. Noting changes in behavior and temperament can indicate a health issue. Changes in the way a pet acts can be due to age-related problems, pain or weakness in a part of the body, fear or anxiety increases, and more.

Environmental/Lifestyle: We will discuss your pet's lifestyle, activity level, and routine. We can also discuss individual risks and any environmental health indications for your pet.

Vaccination Schedule

Vaccines are an important step in stopping preventable, life-threatening diseases in our pets. Like with children, puppies and kittens receive a series of vaccines in their first few months that provide the basis of immunity. After, they will come in once yearly for boosters that insure continued protection. During your pet's annual exam, the doctor will discuss your pet's lifestyle and risk factors to come up with an appropriate, customized vaccine schedule. Below is our hospital's standard policy on core annual vaccinations and testing.

Dogs

Rabies Vaccine: This vaccine is state-required for ALL cats and dogs and legally must be given by the doctor. Rabies can be passed to humans through bites or scratches, and once symptoms begin, there is no effective treatment. Things beyond our control can occur – indoor-only cats escape out open doors or windows, birds and bats (who have a high incidence of Rabies cases) can accidentally get into our homes, or pets can even escape from a carrier during transport. Thus, the importance of each pet remaining current on this vaccine.

Distemper/Parvo Vaccine: Parvovirus is a common, highly contagious, and potentially lethal disease. It can be tracked on shoes, clothes, and hands and can live in the environment for up to a year after a contagious dog passes through. It attacks the digestive system, causing severe vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhea. In untreated dogs, the death rate can be up to 90% and the supportive treatment is very expensive. Similarly, Distemper virus is a highly contagious virus that attacks the respiratory, digestive, brain, and nervous systems of dogs.

Bordetella Vaccine: This vaccine protects against the upper respiratory infection commonly called Kennel Cough. The name is a bit of a misnomer - your dog does not need to stay in a kennel to become infected. Dogs are at risk anywhere they may come into contact with other dogs. This can be the pet store, the park, the grooming salon, on walks in your neighborhood, and yes - even at the vet. It is easily spread through air or by touch and is difficult to eliminate from the environment. It causes a deep hacking cough and congestion, and can be very dangerous in puppies or immune-suppressed dogs. Like the Flu vaccine for humans, the Bordetella vaccine does not guarantee dogs will not come down with Kennel Cough, but it does greatly lessen the severity, symptoms, and length of recovery.

Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a bacteria spread through water, soil, and the urine of infected animals like raccoons, opossums, skunks, dogs, and even rodents such as mice in your home. Especially at risk are dogs who drink from puddles and swim in lakes, rivers, and streams that can become contaminated. Once infected, the bacteria spreads quickly through a dog's bloodstream and can cause kidney and liver failure. Unfortunately Lepto mimics many other illnesses in its symptoms, which can make it difficult to diagnose. This disease is transmissible to humans and can be deadly.

Heartworm Test: Heartworm disease is a very serious infection where long parasitic worms live in the major blood vessels of the heart and lungs. It is painful, difficult, and costly to treat, and is spread by mosquitos. Even indoor-only pets are at risk as unfortunately mosquitos don't stop at our windows and doors. In fact, around 25% of cats testing positive for heartworms are considered indoor-only pets. Once a year, we perform a simple blood test to ensure your dog is heartworm-free. Year-round heartworm prevention is extremely effective, although no medication is 100% effective. For this reason, an annual blood test is performed.

Fecal Testing: Any dog is at risk for intestinal parasites from contaminated soil, water, feces, infected fleas, and food - you can even inadvertently bring home parasites on your shoes! Once a year, we use a small amount of your pet's stool to run what is called a fecal test. This allows us to check for the presence of parasites in your dog's intestines like whipworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, coccidia, and giardia. Because these parasites are internal, you may have no idea you pet is infected – and many are transmissible to humans.

Canine Influenza: This is an optional vaccine that can be given to dogs more at risk to come into contact with Canine Influenza. There are two known strains and symptoms include coughing, sneezing, high fever, lethargy, and pneumonia. Dogs who visit kennels, dog parks, and daycare facilities are most at risk. You can discuss with your veterinarian whether this vaccine is appropriate for your pet.

Cats

FVRCP: Distemper is easily spread and so common that nearly all cats, regardless of breed or lifestyle, will come into contact with it at some point in their lifetime. Characterized by fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, it progresses rapidly and can be fatal in as little as 12 hours if left untreated, and kittens and senior cats are especially susceptible. The Feline Distemper vaccine is a vaccination that protects cats against three diseases – Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia, also known as Feline Distemper.

Feline Leukemia: This virus is transmitted through the saliva of an infected cat, and pets at risk for contact with other cats should receive this vaccine. Infection can be hard to detect, as the virus can affect any organ and the symptoms can vary wildly. No medication can eliminate it, so treatment is aimed at managing symptoms as the disease progresses. This vaccine is boostered every 1-2 years in adult cats, depending on age and prior vaccination history.

Fecal Testing: Cats, like dogs, can become infected with intestinal parasites from contaminated soil, water, feces, infected fleas, and food - you can even inadvertently bring home parasites on your shoes! Once a year, we use a small amount of your pet's stool to run what is called a fecal test. This allows us to check for the presence of parasites in your dog's intestines like whipworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, coccidia, and giardia. Because these parasites are internal, you may have no idea you pet is infected – and many are transmissible to humans.

Heartworm Disease and Your Pet

Heartworm disease is a life-threatening disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It affects dogs and, to a lesser extent, cats. In the U.S., heartworm disease is most common along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from the Gulf of Mexico to New Jersey and along the Mississippi River and its major tributaries, but it's been reported in dogs in all 50 states.

Clinical symptoms of Heartworm disease develop slowly. Early symptoms include lack of energy, exercise intolerance, coughing and difficulty breathing. Because Heartworm disease is increasing in frequency and is a serious and deadly disease, we recommend your dog be tested annually.

Heartworm disease prevention is simple and effective. For dogs, a once-a-month heartworm preventive can be given as a chewable treat. This same chewable medicine prevents not only Heartworm from developing, but also kills and prevents most other types of worms that can infect your dog. Cats are protected by applying a drop of Heartworm prevention liquid to the skin once a month. We recommend this to prevent Heartworm disease as well as fleas, ear mites and other types of worms that can infect your cat.

If you would like to have your pet tested for Heartworm disease or if you would like additional information on how best to protect your pet from this dangerous parasite, please call our office today for an appointment.

Birds, Reptiles, Rabbits, and Small Animals

Most exotic pet species are masters at hiding illness from owners. Most are prey species, and an important survival trick is to hide injury and illness to prevent predators from targeting them. Therefore, regular veterinary visits are important to help detect early indications of illness. During a normal well pet visit, the staff will go over many aspects of pet care, discuss ways to detect early disease and minimize preventable illness, and share any new advances in exotic pet care that might benefit your special pet. With better public education in health, nutritional and environmental management, all species have a greater chance for living longer and healthier lives. We have veterinarians who possess experience in the care and treatments of many exotic species.