Why Should You Bring Your Pet In for an Exam?

Be our guest… A question that is asked quite a bit is “Why does the doctor need to see “Winston?”

There are several reasons why we not only recommend yearly or bi-yearly exams but are required to perform these on a regular basis.

Why are Exams required?

Veterinarians are just like our doctors; the only difference is that they see our animal friends instead of humans. With this classification, veterinarians are bound by Florida state law to see their patients at a minimum of every 12 months in order to prescribe medications and administer vaccines.

Why are Exams recommended?

Exams: Yearly exams are recommended not only to fulfill legal requirements, but also for our pets’ best interest. We recommend yearly exams for our young, healthy pets who have no noted issues and are not on medications for any medical issue. If our pets are seniors or on long term medications, we often recommend exam and/or diagnostic tests more often; usually every 6 months depending on the overall health and wellness of the pet.

Bloodwork: We recommend routine blood work every 6 - 12 months. Bloodwork is important in order to keep tabs on the health of the kidneys, liver and overall blood function. It is important to remember that our pets age differently than we do; every 12 months in their life is equivalent to every few years in ours. It may seem unnecessary to test young pets, but my own personal pet was struck, suddenly, on his 4th birthday.*

Medications: As stated earlier, veterinarians cannot legally prescribe any medication if a pet has not been seen within the year. On occasion, more frequent exams are required. The medication that was used 4-5 months ago may not be the correct medication to use now. For example, a small skin issue may have been corrected with an ointment; a few months ater, that condition now has an infection and antibiotics are needed. There are also many medications that require checking body function (kidneys and liver) prior to continuing treatment or providing refills.

One example is the commonly used Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories. Like our Aleve or Advil, these medications have an effect on the kidneys and liver and monitoring blood work is the only way we can appreciate any changes. We monitor this closely because we do not want to cause a new problem when treating another.

Relationship: Maintaining a good relationship with your veterinarian is also important. Not only does this allow for the veterinarian to prescribe medications or keep accurate records of your pet’s health, it allows the whole team to know you and your pet - and the better we know you, your pet and your lifestyle, the better we can tailor treatments and provide suggestions to keep your pet happy and healthy.

*An example of the value of monitoring health and routine testing would be my own dog, Ghost. Ghost is a 4-year-old Standard Poodle who was completely healthy in November 2021. I had gotten routine yearly bloodwork done and all values were normal. Fast forward to February 2022. Ghost was not himself; lethargic, cold - did not want to even lift his head. I brought him in to Dr. Morosi for an exam and bloodwork. Initially, he was just dehydrated. The bloodwork did not show anything to cause concern. Two days later, after being on fluids and feeling a little better, we repeated his bloodwork. It was then very clear that he had Addison’s Disease. After starting medication, Ghost was examined and his blood tested every few weeks. It is now in Ghost’s best interest to be seen every 3 - 6 months to be sure he is maintaining well on his medications and that his illness is not altering his quality of life. Fortunately, Addison’s Disease has a good prognosis as long as it is wellmanaged. Ghost at 1 year old. Courtesy of Lance Beck at Blue Poodle Studios

Written by: Sabrina Beck CVT, CVBL