AHC - Wellness for Dogs

The most vital part of the veterinarian's role as a partner in the health of your pet is the performance of examinations. Wellness is the ideal state of health both physically and mentally so that the quality of your pet's life is maintained to the fullest. You may think your pet feels and looks great, but during an examination evidence of gum inflammation and tartar on teeth gives the impression of an impending health risk. Health risk factors such as gum disease can develop over time into serious heart, liver, and kidney ailments that can affect the length of life for your pet.

Dogs Age in Human Years
Age of your pet	Small dogs	Medium dogs	Large dogs
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19	0-40 lb. 15 24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 84 89 94 99 104 109	41-80 lb. 15 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102 108 114	Over 80 lb. 15 24 31 38 45 52 59 66 73 80 87 94 103 110 117 124

Wellness is achieved in a number of ways:

	vaccinating against contagious diseases
	controlling internal and external parasites
	feeding a nutritionally well-balanced diet
	providing exercise and a comfortable, loving environment

Since the age chart tells us that one year to us is equal to 4-5 years to an adult pet, examinations are necessary twice yearly. Pets may not obviously show signs of pain, disease, or discomfort so the early warning signs or risk factors for illness must be identified by a veterinarian. The faster aging process in animals will cause most illnesses to show up amazingly fast with little warning. Regular wellness examinations will help pick up the rapidly changing signs.

Physical examinations or wellness exams involve the pet from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Some techniques used in the examination include:

	questions asked to establish a history of health
	examination of all body parts using instruments and feeling (palpation) with the hands all structures near the surface of the skin in addition to the organs in the abdomen
	visual examination of the pet's body, movements, and mental attitude
	discussion of the findings of the exam and suggested solutions to any concern
	answers to question regarding the examination and explanation to absent family members if needed
	written examination checklist of the findings and follow up progress reports

The veterinarian's examination may very well be the best value in the medical field. The amount of doctor time, expertise, and follow up is generally unsurpassed in any other medical professional's office.