At LaGrange Park Cat Clinic we believe in providing the comprehensive care designed to maintain your cat's health. Research has shown many times over that cat's as young as 3 years of age can have minor conditions, that if not taken care of, can lead to severe or chronic diseases in an older cat. This is why the American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends annual physical exams for cats under 8 years of age and every 6 months after 8 years of age.
Wellness exams are tailored for the age and lifestyle of the cat. What is right for an adult cat may not be correct for a kitten or a senior cat. Also, indoor only cats have different challenges than a cat that visits the outdoors. Each cat has a different set of needs and each wellness visit is tailored to the cat.
A routine examination provides both you and the LaGrange Park Cat Clinic team to develop a comprehensive picture of your cat's needs and overall physical health; as well as spot potential medical issues before they become serious health concerns. This is also a chance for you to ask Daniel, Dasha, or Dr. Cuevas those questions you have about your cat's health, habits, and daily care. We use this time to educate on healthcare issues and present new information that applies to your cat's health, lifestyle and breed.
During your cat's wellness checkup, Dr. Cuevas will:
Listen to your cat's heart - Early signs of heart disease such as murmurs and irregular heartbeats can be heard with the stethoscope. Finding these indicators of trouble, coupled with other examination findings, can lead to the identification and treatment of the cause before it becomes a major health threat.
Listen to the lungs - Health issues such as infections, asthma and other issues can be detected by listening to the lungs through a stethoscope. The doctor is also able to assess the overall lung health of the cat.
Check the teeth and oral cavity - Examining your cat's teeth and mouth is an important part of preventing various forms of disease (both dental and other causes). By the time a cat is 3 years old, 75% of all cats have significant dental disease. Young kittens also need to be checked to monitor the tooth development and growth of the mouth. We also take the time to educate you on home care options so that you will not need to have as many dental procedures done.
Evaluate the cat's eyes - Sometimes the first sign of disease, or the main symptom of a disease, is found in the eyes. Almost all diseases follow a relatively predictable path and if found early can be more easily treated.
Look into the ears - Ear disease is more common than most owners realize. Issues such as allergies, food sensitivities, ear mites or other parasites can all cause or contribute to ear disease and no signs can be found in the outer ear where it is easier to see. Sometimes ear conditions can be handled at home, but many times it is more involved than just cleaning out the ear. A complete exam can help identify the cause so that treatment is tailored to the condition.
Palpate the lymph nodes, thyroid gland, abdomen, and check the skin - In all of these places, we are looking for lumps and bumps that should not be be there or patterns of hair loss. These can indicate the presence of more systemic problems or diseases such as bladder or kidney disease, diabetes, or tumors.
Palpating joints and muscles - By examining the joints, legs, and other areas of the body along with watching your cat walk we can find disease that affect kittens up to those of senior cats such as arthritis.
Lab work - A complete physical exam includes as fecal flotation test for intestinal parasites and age appropriate blood tests. Even indoor cats can get or have intestinal parasites.
Vaccinations are safe and effective for the majority of our feline patients. The American Association of Feline Practitioners has developed recommendations for vaccination depending on the cat's age and lifestyle. Therefore it is necessary to get the cat's history and do a physical exam before vaccination. Not all vaccines are for all cats. The core vaccines that we provide are rabies (Purevax) and Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (RCP or Feline "Distemper"). We also educate on the use of the Feline Leukemia vaccine in kittens and outdoor cats.
Does your cat have a microchip? We have many stories from our shelter and clinic experiences where cats have been returned after being gone for days to years. Some cats were indoor/outdoor; but most were indoor only. Microchipping is safe, simple, and very effective way to protect your companion. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice and is placed under the skin between the shoulder blades. Veterinary hospitals and animal shelters nationwide are equipped with scanners to read the microchips and reunite the cat with its owner. LaGrange Park Cat Clinic uses HomeAgain microchips and includes the initial enrollment fee as part of the microchipping fee. Go online at http://www.homeagain.com to read more about microchipping.
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