New and experienced pet owners alike often ask their veterinarian, "Why does my pet need an annual wellness exam?" While many caregivers have a good understanding of illness symptoms that signal a vet visit, routine checkups outside of sick visits are just as essential for helping your pet live a long and happy life with you.

Your regular vet visits at a Thrive Pet Healthcare clinic can cover a variety of topics and issues that are specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of your pet. The primary goal of wellness visits is to ensure your pet is in good health and prevent future health problems through preventative medicine and early disease intervention.

Typical wellness visits include essential preventative health care and a thorough nose-to-tail exam. While each exam is tailored to the needs and history of pets, some common topics and services include: 

There are three main reasons it is essential for all pets to be seen by their vet at least once a year:

Preventative health care includes any sort of treatment designed to protect your pet from illness. Some common examples of preventative care covered at annual wellness visits include primary vaccinations and booster shots, updating flea, tick, and heartworm medications, having anal glands expressed, and ensuring nails are clipped to a comfortable length. Staying up to date on preventative health care at every stage of your pet’s life not only helps keep them safe from painful illness but can also save you from having to put them through costly and stressful treatments down the road.

During a routine wellness visit, your vet will conduct a thorough nose-to-tail exam of your pet, checking for any issues or abnormalities. Since you see your pet every day, it can be easy to miss slight differences in their health, especially when disease is in the early stages. Your vet will compare notes and data from your pet’s previous visits, looking for any unusual changes or patterns (e.g., weight gain/loss).

If a potential issue is found, it can be investigated further, and intervention can begin to heal or manage your pet’s disease before it causes more damage. Early detection creates the greatest success for treatment and gives your pet the best chance of living a longer, healthier life!

Some pets may suffer from chronic conditions that require life-long care such as allergies, arthritis, or diabetes. While their health status may be stable and continuously managed through medications, it is very important that they are still routinely monitored by their vet in case changes are needed in their treatment plan. Depending on the condition, more regular visits may be recommended so it is important to follow your veterinarian’s advice on exam frequency. 

While every pet should be seen for a wellness exam at minimum once per year, the frequency of your pet’s vet visits should be built around their unique health needs. Thrive Pet Healthcare veterinary professionals work alongside you to craft the perfect wellness plan for your pet. 

We’re here to help make frequent care more accessible and cost-effective through our Thrive Plus Membership program! With $0 wellness exam fees and 10% off additional services, like bloodwork, fecal exams, and vaccinations, you can continually ensure your pet is staying healthy.

Learn more about Thrive Plus Membership.

Learn more about how to lower your out-of-pocket cost at each vet visit by signing up for Thrive Plus today!