The Physical Exam of the Pet
Every responsible pet owner, who cares about pet health, takes the time to have the pet examined by the veterinarian. A thorough physical exam identifies any pet health problems. The vet will share important pet health information. And the pet owner will have several pet health questions answered. Thus, an annual and thorough physical exam is integral to pet health care. But what exactly happens during a pet health examination?
There are eight major steps that are carried out by the veterinarian to check if there are pet health problems. Majority of these steps are examinations of specific parts of the pet. When the results of these tests yield negative results, then pet health is assured.
Temperature – Vital to pet health care is the determination of the pet’s temperature, which is done rectally. The normal range of the pet’s temperature is between 101 to 102.5 degrees. Higher than this range tells the veterinarian that there is a pet health problem.
Skin and Coat – The state of pet health is shown in the skin and coat. The skin must be clean and the coat must be shiny. Otherwise, there may be a pet health problem or the pet’s diet is not sufficient to attain optimum pet health. The veterinarian usually advises the pet owner to provide a meat-based diet.
Ears – Pet health problems, such as allergies and infections, are detected early when the ears are examined closely. The pet owner can easily detect the presence of a pet health problem by looking at the outer ear but the veterinarian also inspects the ear canal. Then, the vet also shows how the ears should be cleaned. Properly cleaning the ears is an important part of pet health care.
Heart and Lungs Examination – Cats and dogs may also have heart valve problems. To check if there are pet health problems inside, the veterinarian uses a stethoscope and carefully listens to the sounds of the heart.
Abdomen – The area of the abdomen reveals many things about the state of pet health. The cat may have only one healthy kidney. Or the dog may have developed bladder stones. Examining the abdomen is critical to identifying any pet health problem.
Mouth – Oral hygiene is also crucial to pet health care. This is because the mouth can reveal pet health problems such gum infection, tooth problems, and even tumors. Such serious pet health problems are not easily noticed, even by the pet.
Eyes – The eyes of the pet are not always examined because pet health problems are usually determined by examining the other body parts. Still, for a thorough pet health examination, the veterinarian checks the eye for cataract, inflammation, or other eye irritations.
Paws and Toenails – A pet health examination is completed by the examination of the paws and toenails. The veterinarian often clips short the nails and the inspects the pads for injuries.
When all the above tests are carried out, the results are recorded in a pet health chart. This chart reflects the pet’s medical history. It is a fountain of pet health information. And it helps answer some pet health questions such as when is the next schedule of the pet’s vaccination.