Vaccinations and Veterinary Check-Ups for South Coast Pets
Annual visits to the local veterinarian in South Coast are essential to the health and happiness of your pet. Taking care of pets is more than just buying nutritious food and taking them for walks, it’s also about making sure that they are in good health by scheduling a veterinary check-up each year at your local Dartmouth animal hospital. Anchor Animal Hospital has provided top quality vet care for cats and dogs in the South Coast area since 1975. Our team of highly trained, experienced and caring staff can provide you with everything from emergency services to ongoing treatments, senior care, and advanced dentistry, depending on the needs of your pet.
Why Annual Veterinary Check-Up Visits?
Most people schedule a yearly check-up with their family doctor just to make sure that everything is okay. An annual doctor’s visit helps to spot small issues before they become significant problems, allowing the physician to provide the patient with medication, treatment, or medical advice that can help avoid more drastic measures in the future. The same is true with vet care for cats and dogs. However, pets age at approximately seven times the rate of humans, so missing an annual visit with your veterinarian in South Coast is like you waiting 14 years for a medical check-up! A lot can happen in that time that can go undetected by pet owners.
It is in your pet’s best interest to visit the Dartmouth animal hospital at least once each year. Pets with medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, or other physical ailments, may require more frequent check-ups. Your trusted veterinarian can help you select an appointment schedule that is right for you and your pet. In addition to having a check-up, you can also schedule essential vaccinations based on your pet’s lifestyle and environment. Pets who frequent dog parks, doggie daycare, and travel with their owners may require additional vaccines that homebound pets do not.
What to Expect at a Vet Visit
When you bring your pet into our Dartmouth animal hospital for a veterinary check-up, you should expect that your pet will have a complete physical exam. We will ask you a few questions about your pet’s lifestyle habits, the food that they eat, and we will take some basic measurements, such as weight and pulse. Vet care for cats and dogs should be comprehensive, covering all of the basic vital signs and cues, just as you would expect from a visit to your own doctor. Temperature, weight, and other measurements are all important to evaluate the overall health of your pet. If more specific tests are required, such as fecal tests, blood tests, and scans, we can do them all in-house at Anchor Animal Hospital for quick results.
Some of the other services that you might experience at a vet visit include:
- vaccination updates or check-up on the status of vaccinations
- blood tests, urine tests, fecal tests
- questions about digestion, including abnormal stools, gas, or burping
- physical appearance, including eyes, ears, coat, limbs, and feet
- parasite check for fleas, ticks, mites, heartworms, and intestinal issues
- dental health, including breath smell, gums, and teeth
- questions about food and water consumption, brand names, and amounts
- lifestyle, exercise habits, and any behavioral issues
If you have questions or concerns about your pet’s health, make sure to ask your veterinarian during your visit. If your questions are urgent, don’t wait for an annual veterinary check-up. Pick up the phone and contact our office right away. We are here to answer your questions and can help you determine if your pet should be seen in our emergency Dartmouth animal hospital or if it can wait for a scheduled appointment.
Consider Pet Insurance
Do you have veterinary insurance for your pet? Many pet owners are now seeking financial assistance to cover emergency care, diagnostic tests, surgeries, medications, and treatments. At our Dartmouth animal hospital, we accept all pet insurances, but we highly recommend Trupanion for our clients. This policy provides comprehensive coverage, including hospital stays, and offers a “Direct Pay” program that allows for pre-qualified options so you will know how much the co-pay would be for any covered event. You can adjust the deductible according to your budget, making this an affordable option for just about any pet owner. Visit our Payment Options page for more information about Trupanion and the other methods of payment that are accepted for services with our veterinarian in South Coast.
Schedule a veterinary check-up at Anchor Animal Hospital in Dartmouth. We provide vet care for cats and dogs, advanced dentistry, emergency services, and much more. Give us a call at 508-996-3731 to speak with one of our veterinary team members. We can answer any questions that you might have about our services or help you schedule an appointment.