Comprehensive Health Assessment:

The Complete Picture of Your Pet's Health

What is a Comprehensive Health Assessment (CHA)?

Looking to give your furry friend the healthiest life possible? Our new approach to annual exams includes a cutting-edge CHA (Comprehensive Health Assessment) that provides a complete picture of your pet's wellbeing. From genetic testing to dental care, our screening tests cover a range of factors tailored to your pet's age and species, ensuring they get the care they need. By detecting potential health issues early on, we can craft a personalized medical plan that will help your pet thrive for years to come. Give your furry family member the gift of a long, healthy, and happy life.

Why Does Your Pet Need a CHA?

two veterinarians examine a dog on the exam table

At My Pets Wellness, we are a group of veterinarian professionals that deeply love the animals we care for. We want to provide our patients with the best possible medicine to give them their best lives.

Dogs and Cats cannot tell us what they are feeling or where they are hurting. This often results in pets coming for treatment for conditions that could have been avoided. Too often, diagnostics are used in this industry only when there is a physical presentation of injury or disease. Our goal is to prevent injury or disease from happening in the first place.

Here's What to Expect at Your First CHA Appointment!

The first thing to complete is the digital history. If you have not completed it yet, please do so as soon as possible. The digital history is designed to give the medical team as much information about your pet as possible. It is a key contributor to building a comprehensive health plan for your pet.

Diagnostics & Physical Exam

This will take somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the age and demeanor of your pet. Our technicians will be running all the appropriate diagnostics that are included in your package. During this time, the doctor will also conduct a physical exam.

Once completed, the doctor will complete a review and put together all the results from the CHA and build a Comprehensive Health Plan based off those results.

Doctor-Parent Collaboration

Your doctor will build a custom plan for your pet that provides a thorough, comprehensive treatment, including procedures, pharmaceuticals, diet, and nutraceuticals. We will then work with you to fi nd the appropriate spectrum of care that meets your budget and capabilities.

What is included in my pet's CHA?

Your CHA will include...

Establish a comprehensive overview of your pet’s health

Build a customized preventative medical plan

Give your pet it’s best chance at a long, happy, pain-free life

Book Your CHA Appointment

What We're Looking to Find:

Cataracts
Conjunctivitis (inflammation of tissue around the eyes)
Decreased Vision
Restrictions to airflow
Periodontal disease (Tooth Decay & Gum Disease)
Otitis (inflammation of the ear canal)
Pain (joint, muscle, spine, nails/digits, oral)
Wheezes or Crackles in the lungs
Murmurs or Arrhythmias of the heart
Masses on the skin (or even in the abdomen)
Dermatitis (inflammation of the skin)
Neuropathies (abnormal nerve functioning)

poodle on top of an exam room table inside vet clinic

Let's Check Those Teeth

Although examining the oral cavity is part of a complete physical examination, it is important to note that a full oral exam can only be successfully performed under general anesthesia. Today, your pet’s doctor will get the best view possible of their mouth to look for indicators of dental, gingival, or other issues present. Notably, dental disease is painful! Pets will still eat and live with a chronic headache. We often see them slowing down and thinking it’s age, or arthritis, or just personality...but it is often oral pain!

Remember, teeth are like icebergs. We can only see the tip above the surface and the waves around it. We cannot see what is going on under the surface or on the other side!

On exam we may find evidence of:

Broken or chipped teeth
Fractured teeth with exposed roots or root canals
Growths in the mouth (benign polyps, tumors, cycts)
Missing teeth or persistent baby teeth
Inflamed painful gum tissue
Asymmetric tartar/plaque accumulation (chewing on side due to pain)

Parasite Screening: How It Works

Parasite screening is done by performing a fecal analysis, aka, checking the poop for evidence of micro-critters that negatively impact your pet’s health. This is especially important in young animals that are often infected and are susceptible to reinfection. Even more importantly, some of these parasites are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted to humans.

Hookworms

Can cause anemia, failure to gain weight, poor hair coat, dehydration, dark tarry stool, and even be fatal in puppies. Weakness, anorexia, emaciation is also possible.

Roundworms

Failure to gain weight, poor coat, pot-bellied appearance, vomiting, decreased appetite. It can also cause damage to lungs, liver, and eyes.

Whipworms

Can cause bleeding in the cecum/ colon (large intestine), diarrhea, weight loss, dehydration, anemia, and death.

Coccidia

Can cause bleeding in the cecum/ colon (large intestine), diarrhea, weight loss, dehydration, anemia, and death.

Giardia

Inappropriate digestion and absorption, dehydration, and diarrhea.

Tapeworms

n puppies, there can be risk of impaction (blockage) and/or diarrhea.

Ear Cytology

Ear infections and ear mites are extremely common in our younger patients, and it is very common that your pet may not show any symptoms. By rapidly examining a stained ear wax preparation, we can immediately screen and diagnose the problem. If necessary, we can then decide specific diagnostic tests and targeted treatments to clear whatever problems we find.

Ear infections we could find:

Cocci Bacteria
Rod Bacteria
Yeast

Did you know?

Ear infections can cause painful, smelly, itchy ears that can be difficult to clear and often lead to chronic changes to the skin and canals. Repeat infections are common, and with each repeated infection they become harder to clear.