A complete medical examination is done if your pet is being vaccinated or if there is a health concern. The procedure includes taking a pulse and respiratory rate, listening to the heart and lungs, checking for pulse strength, checking eyes/ears/mouth/teeth for any abnormalities, palpating lymph nodes, checking range of motion in all limbs, and feeling for lumps/bumps. Depending on what you brought your pet in for, the veterinarian will focus on certain areas.
If your pet is having problems, we will ask you several questions. Because pets can’t tell us where it hurts, what they’ve been eating or where they’ve been, we need to get as much information from you as possible. Getting a good history from pet owners is extremely helpful in trying to discover the cause and therefore treat the problem. If your pet has got into something that maybe you shouldn't have, we need to know about it to take the right course of action.
We will use the examination findings in conjunction with your pet's history to try to determine the root of the problem. If we are unable to determine the cause, more diagnostic procedures will need to be performed.