1. show overt symptoms of illness.
2. change their behavior or habits (examples: drinking, eating, sleeping, personality, urination and/or bowel movements).
3. show no symptoms or changes in behavior or habits, especially in the early part of the illness.

If pets fall into the first 2 categories, we are “tipped off” that something is wrong. By carefully evaluating your observations at home and performing a physical examination on your pet, we often figure out what is wrong.  We may or may not proceed with laboratory, X-ray, etc. procedures depending upon what is indicated.

The pets that fall into the third category are likely the ones that may benefit the most from general health screening. 

Reasons for ill pets “hiding” signs of illness are that:

• some pets are more stoic than others and do not readily exhibit discomfort.
• some pets possess a protective instinctive mechanism of hiding weakness, especially birds.
• some diseases, early in their course, simply do not cause outward symptoms.
  

Health screening would potentially benefit any pet of any age and we are happy to perform this service for any dog or cat of any age.  We feel that the older pets are the ones that this procedure is of the most importance and that is why we suggest that pets over 5 be evaluated.

The screening requires:  (You may wait with your pet while we perform physical and take samples, or you are welcome to leave your pet for a few hours and pick her/him up later.)

• Physical Exam:  Performed on your pet in the examination room.
• CBC, SMA, Electrolytes, Thyroid:  Evaluation of blood cells, serum chemistries, sodium, potassium and chloride levels and thyroid function.  Blood sample.
• Urinalysis:  Urine sample.  May be refrigerated if caught before the day of the examination.
• Fecal:  Sample of fresh bowel movement.