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Wellness & Preventive Care

Annual wellness exams evaluate your pets overall health, detect problems before they become serious, and keep them on track to live a long, healthy life.

Overview

We follow your pet through the many phases of their lives. From specialized and preventative care during their younger years to regular wellness checks as they age, we seek to prevent and detect problems before they arise. We know your pet is important to you, that's why we work hard to ensure they are given only the best in care through all the years of their lives.

The American Animal Hospital Association recommends that your pet have a wellness exam at least once every year. As your pet ages, they recommend having even more. We believe strongly in preventive care and have developed wellness protocols for every stage of the life of your pet. Depending on your pet’s life stage, vaccines may be administered, as well as disease screenings.

Why are wellness exams important?

Wellness exams give us a chance to evaluate the overall health of your pet while also giving us a baseline for their own unique bodies and tendencies. They also allow us to detect potential problems before they become serious, and even make your pet more familiar with our veterinary hospital, making future visits easier on them and you.

When should my pet visit the vet?

We believe in preventative medicine as the best approach to keeping our patients healthy. This includes annual wellness examinations, vaccinations on a one- or three-year basis, external and internal parasite prevention, and dietary management. Our doctors will help determine what vaccinations are appropriate according to you and your pet’s needs. We will discuss in detail what your options are to help you make the best possible health decisions for your pet.

How do wellness exams work?

During a wellness exam, our veterinary team will start out by taking your pet's vital signs. Our veterinarian will perform a comprehensive examination of your pet from nose to tail and may also perform diagnostic tests such as blood work, urinalysis, or intestinal parasite tests. Depending on your pet’s life stage, vaccines may be administered, as well as disease screenings for heartworm, kidney, liver, blood disorders, and more.

Wellness examinations do not necessarily mean that your pet is going to be subjected to complicated or costly medical tests and treatments. This allows us to prevent major health issues from developing undetected and gives us the opportunity to analyze and record baseline values such as temperature, body condition, and lab work. We measure these when your pet is healthy in order to provide better care in the event of illness or emergency. A dental health exam and a weight check are always important parts of a wellness exam, and may indicate problems that can progress rapidly and have significant impact on your pet's overall health.

Early detection and correction of medical problems will help to ensure that your pet will live a long, healthy, and active life.

Personalized Care for Your Pets

FM 1960 Animal Hospital takes pride in keeping your pets happy and healthy through our preventative approach to their healthcare. Preventative medicine is the art of preventing disease before it happens, with the theory that it’s much easier to prevent the disease from occurring in the first place than it is to try to cure a disease once it takes root. Your pet can benefit greatly from preventative medicine under the care of your Houston veterinarian. Make sure you are making your pet’s health a priority by bringing them in to see us at FM 1960 Animal Hospital.

Keep your pet up to date with the latest in preventative care! Call (281) 303-5132 or contact us online to book your next appointment with FM 1960 Animal Hospital.

What does preventative care look like?

  • Regular bloodwork

  • Flea and tick prevention

  • Annual wellness exams

  • Spaying or neutering

  • Microchipping

  • Vaccinations

Each of the above services is a crucial element in your pet’s ongoing preventative care. By ensuring they receive regular medical care from your Houston veterinarian, you’re helping your pet live their best life!

An Individualized Approach to Veterinary Care

At FM 1960 Animal Hospital, we know no two pets are the same, even if they’re the same species or from the same litter. Your Houston veterinarian will customize your pet’s preventative care to meet their specific health needs. We’ll ask you questions about their medical history and behavior, in addition to collecting standard information on their age, breed, and other physical characteristics.

With this information in hand, our veterinary team will conduct a physical exam, looking at your pet from nose to tail. We will typically order laboratory tests in conjunction with your pet’s physical exam so we can get a full picture of their health. Once we have your pet’s laboratory results, we’ll be able to make specific and targeted recommendations for their ongoing care. Our goal is to help your pet live their happiest, healthiest life!

Preventative Care for Senior Pets

Your senior pets still need preventative care! Keeping on top of their health can go a long way to protecting and preserving their quality of life as they age. We recommend you continue to bring your senior pets in to see us at FM 1960 Animal Hospital regularly so we can keep an eye out for changes. Your Houston veterinarian will teach you what signs to watch out for that may indicate your senior pet is struggling. We’ll help your pet live out their golden years in happiness and comfort.