Pet Wellness in Port Hadlock, WA

At Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital, we provide preventative care for dogs, cats, birds, and exotics. We also recommend routine dental cleanings. Our veterinary team believes that prevention contributes to your pet’s long-term health and minimizes the lifetime cost of care. We strongly recommend routine wellness exams, vaccinations, regular lab work, deworming and fecal checks, and for many pets in our area, medications to prevent fleas and ticks to help keep your pet in optimum health.

Wellness examinations are the same for your pet as the yearly physical you receive from your doctor. It is a chance for us to assess your pet’s overall health, discuss any changes we see, and educate and update you on advancements in veterinary care. It is also an opportunity for you to discuss any of your concerns or ask questions. Please take a look at the services we offer to learn why we believe they are important to the care and well-being of your pet. Then give us a call to set up an appointment today!

Your pet’s wellness examination includes our commitment to:

• Examine your pet’s teeth, throat, and oral cavity
• Check your pet’s vision and examine the eyes
• Examine the ears for infection, ear mites, allergic reactions, and other related health issues
• Examine the respiratory system
• Assess your pet’s heart and evaluate cardiac function
• Test your pet’s reflexes
• Palpate lymph nodes and abdomen
• Inspect the skin
• Palpate joints and muscles for arthritis and other orthopedic conditions
• Test to evaluate the function of internal organs and other systems
• Assess changes in body weight, appetite, urination, and bowel habits
• Inquire about your pet’s activity level
• Palpate the skin for unusual growth developments
• Monitor your pet’s blood count
• Utilize laboratory testing to screen those at risk for Heartworm or tick-borne disease
• Assess general or specific changes in your pet’s health since the last wellness visit
• Discuss preventive techniques with you
• Examine fecal samples for signs of parasitic infestation
• Evaluate your pet for repetitive licking or biting in one area
• Assess your pet’s hair/fur and check for matting
• Demonstrate (to you) how to administer at-home medication
• Engage you in conversation and answer your questions and concerns

One of the most exciting parts of bringing a new puppy or kitten into the family is the fact that they are just getting started on that journey. Everything is new to them and, as their human companion, you get to revel in the wonder and joy with which they approach their world.

Because of their very newness, puppies and kittens require special attention and care to ensure that they develop into healthy, vigorous adults. Your first visits with your little one are perhaps the most important. Not only do these visits give you a much clearer picture of your pet’s bill of health, but they’re also where you, one of our veterinarians, and your pet begin to form a crucial relationship that will last for many years to come.

At Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital, we offer specially priced puppy and kitten packages aimed at making sure your new family member begins their journey on the right paw.

More about puppies & kittens >

Puppies and kittens are a lot of fun. They’re also a lot of work. Adult pets, on the other hand, can sometimes be so easy and low maintenance that we forget just how important routine and preventative care is for them, too. Because animals are experts at hiding suffering and discomfort, annual wellness checks are necessary to make sure your pet is as healthy as they appear.

Dogs are considered adults between 9 and 18 months of age, depending on their size. Small breeds mature before large ones. Cats mature at roughly 12 months. If a year has passed since your adult pet’s last exam, get in touch with us. Our veterinarian will spend quality time with your best friend, checking their overall health from nose to tail and looking for any changes that might have occurred since their last visit.

These wellness exams also allow us to develop a customized care plan for your pet’s optimal health—one that includes preventive care like vaccines and blood screenings, parasite prevention, nutritional and behavioral advice, and medical intervention when needed.

Staying on top of your adult pet’s well-being simply makes sense. Preventative care means that problems are caught before they become more serious – and more expensive – and it frees you and your pet to spend your time doing what you really want to do: enjoy each other’s company and unconditional love.

Senior pets are a lot like senior humans – they require more frequent checkups and tender loving care to keep them happy and healthy. There is a difference between aging animals and older people, however. Your pet ages much faster than you do, so disease and illness progress faster as well.

At Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital, we know all the work that goes into keeping an animal healthy over the course of a lifetime, and we understand very well just how important your senior pet is to you. Your furry friend has reached these precious golden years because you’ve done your job as a pet parent, feeding them nourishing food, getting them plenty of exercise and socialization, and showering them with love.

The rest, of course, is up to us, and we have made senior wellness one of our main missions. A large part of that mission is preventative care. Beginning when your pet is seven years old, we recommend twice-yearly exams, as well as regular bloodwork that can check for issues like anemia, liver disease, hypothyroidism, and kidney problems.

Your senior pet’s routine wellness examination gives you an opportunity to discuss concerns and includes specialized lab work to detect early signs of disease processes. Our veterinarians tailor these exams and tests to your pet’s age, breed, lifestyle, and physical condition in order to best meet his or her health needs. We also include information regarding nutrition, pain and arthritis management, and preserving quality of life.

More about senior pet care >

We also offer annual blood screenings for all of our patients. If done routinely, these screenings will help our doctors detect potential diseases before they become a serious issue. If caught early, many common diseases can be managed through dietary modifications. Since pets usually don’t exhibit symptoms of many serious diseases, such as kidney or liver disease, until the disease is in its advanced stages, early detection leads to early treatment and can prolong your pet’s life.

Dangerous parasites are always present in the environment. If brought into your home, these parasites can be passed from your pet to you and your family. Regular fecal checks and deworming are the best way to prevent parasitic disease and the transmission of intestinal parasites. It also prevents the shedding of parasite eggs, which can contaminate lawns (or any other place a pet defecates).

A complete physical includes parasite screening, blood tests, and depending on travel history, a heartworm test. Not only can a blood chemistry panel and complete blood count (CBC) identify the presence of underlying disease processes, but these tests help create a baseline should your pet become ill. Additionally, blood work is necessary if a dental cleaning, removal of a skin mass, or any other procedure that requires anesthesia, is recommended.

Sometimes one of the frustrations of dealing with a sick pet is that you cannot simply ask him/her what is wrong. For that reason, Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital has invested in the latest advanced diagnostic technology. When your pet is not well, we need to determine the underlying cause. After performing a thorough examination, a series of diagnostic tests is often necessary in order to identify the medical condition.

All of our veterinarians are knowledgeable and have expertise in diagnosing and treating complex internal medicine cases including diabetes, Cushing’s disease, Addison’s disease, thyroid disease, acute or chronic metabolic disease, and acute or chronic gastrointestinal disease.

At Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital, we offer ophthalmological care for your pet, including treatment of glaucoma, corneal ulcers, and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (Dry Eye).

Glaucoma is a condition in which the fluid pressure inside the eye increases to a point where the optic nerve is damaged, causing loss of vision and blindness. There are two types of glaucoma: chronic glaucoma, which can develop as your pet ages and is relatively common, and acute glaucoma, which is the result of an injury or illness.

Due to the severity and incidence of glaucoma, we recommend that your pet be checked regularly for this disease. A routine glaucoma exam is not only an effective screening measure for chronic and acute glaucoma, but allows us to determine a baseline measurement of your pet’s normal intraocular pressure.

Another important aspect of wellness care during the examination process is educating clients. Together as partners, we can ensure that your pets receive all they need to live long and healthy lives.

At home, watch for subtle changes in your pet’s body weight, appetite, water intake, urination and bowel habits, as well as general attitude and activity level. These changes may be signs of medical problems. Lumps and bumps under the skin may seem harmless, but can be cancerous. Ear infections, abscessed teeth and gum disease are common, painful conditions that may not become obvious until seriously advanced. A comprehensive physical exam is the tool to evaluate your dog’s, cat’s or other pet’s health status and to help you make informed decisions about the care of your special companion.

Feel free to ask us any questions. And of course, we take it upon ourselves to keep you in the know.