Wellness Exams

Wellness Exams

Your pet can benefit greatly from regular wellness examinations or checkups. Whether your pet is a youngster, a “senior citizen,” or any age in between, wellness examinations provide an excellent opportunity for us to conduct a thorough physical examination and develop a health profile for your pet. This information will help us identify medical problems and any other issues that can affect your pet’s health and quality of life.

A wellness examination includes an evaluation of all of your pet’s major organ systems. We’ll use the wellness visit to ask you questions about your pet’s behavior, appetite, exercise habits, and regular activities at home. This is also an excellent time for us to discuss any routine diagnostic testing that may benefit your pet or to recommend any vaccinations that may be due.

Vaccinations play a crucial role in effective wellness care. They protect your pet against a wide array of preventative and deadly disease and your Alto Tiburon vet can advise you what shots your best friend needs and when. Vaccines are typically divided into “core” and “non-core.” Core vaccines for dogs include those that guard against parvovirus, distemper virus, adenovirus-2, and rabies. Core vaccines for cats include herpesvirus-1, feline calicivirus, feline panleukopenia virus, feline leukemia, and rabies.


Non-core vaccinations are given to dogs and cats that live in areas of the country where certain diseases may be prevalent or those that have special exposures. They include bordetella and leptospirosis for dogs and those that protect against immunodeficiency virus, chlamydia felis, and feline infectious peritonitis in cats.

Parasite prevention is another important part of preventative care. Contrary to popular opinion, pests like fleas, ticks, and heartworm aren’t just annoying—they can also pose serious dangers to your pet’s health. Heartworm is particularly deadly. Sadly, many pets don’t show symptoms until the disease is advanced, if at all. While there is treatment for canines, it is expensive and can be very hard on your pet. (There is no heartworm cure for cats.)

We can advise you on the form of prevention that best suits your pet’s age, breed, and lifestyle.

Has it been more than a year since your pet came to see us or had a thorough physical exam? Call (415) 383-7700 today!