Since 1974

Chesterfield Veterinary Center

Preventative Medicine

Every time your pet visits the Chesterfield Veterinary Center, the veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination and will make sure your pet is up-to-date on all vaccinations, preventative medications, and routine testing.

Physical Examination

A complete physical exam is the best way to keep your pet healthy and happy.  There are a number of diseases and medical conditions that the veterinarian can detect before your pet shows any obvious symptoms of illness.  Some of the more common problems are:

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are vital to maintaining your pet’s health.  Recently, quite a bit of information has been published about the so-called dangers of vaccinating your pet.  The truth is, vaccination is a medical procedure—and just like any other procedure, there are risks and benefits.

When administered appropriately, immunizations are one of the best tools we have available in preventative medicine.  The key to using vaccines appropriately is to determine which diseases each particular pet may be at risk for, then vaccinate for those diseases no more than necessary.

 

· Dental diseases (such as tartar, plaque, tooth decay, etc.)

· Cancers and other masses (mammary, skin, and abdominal tumors, etc.)

· Heart disease

· Diabetes

· Thyroid problems

· Kidney disease

While some of these diseases are incurable, early detection is still the single most important factor in improving quality and length of life.  Even when a serious disease is diagnosed, many patients can lead normal lives with just a little medical attention.

That’s why the veterinarian will often ask you questions about your pet’s lifestyle and environment, or even have you fill out a questionnaire regarding that information.  If you’re scheduled for a wellness exam, you may want to fill out this questionnaire (for dogs, for cats) before you arrive at the clinic in order to save time.

Routine Testing

For dogs, a heartworm test and a fecal examination are recommended as a part of the annual wellness examination.  This is true even if your dog is on a heartworm preventative medication.

A fecal examination is also an integral part of the annual wellness program for all cats.  For outdoor cats, an annual feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus test is necessary.

We also strongly recommend an annual blood chemistry panel known as a Healthscreen.  This is a small panel of bloodwork that quickly tests the function of various organs such as the liver, kidneys, and pancreas, as well as screening for common diseases such as diabetes.  This inexpensive panel often detects serious illnesses before pets show any symptoms at all!  Plus, we run it in-house, so the results are available in less than an hour!

“Because dogs and cats age seven times faster, on average, than people, significant health changes can occur in a short amount of time. And, the risks of cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, heart disease, metabolic problems and other serious conditions all increase with age.” —Dr. Marty Becker

 

That’s why we recommend wellness exams every six months.  For more information, click here.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”