So Doc, what's in a Canine Annual Checkup?

• Comprehensive Physical Exam - is a  head to tail exam by Dr .Kempf make sure your dog is in tip top shape (see below for a description of everything a Comphrehensive Physical Exam comes with). A physical exam by a veterinarian is required by law for all vaccinations.
  
• Free Lifestyle evaluation - to better understand what you and your dog do on a daily basis. This can help us identify any little proglems like soreness after excercise or shaking of the head after swimming. We will also check to see if your dog needs protection from the vaccines such as Bordetella, Canine Influenza, Lyme Disease, or Leptosporosis.     
• Free Nutritional consult - with our certifed nutriton consultants. Every member of our staff has had many hours of education to help you pick the right food for your dog. With over 800 brands of food, it can get confusing! We will also discuss things like ideal weight, feeding styles, and weight loss strategies.
  
• Annual Vaccinations based on your dog's lifestyle evaluation. Rabies  is the only vaccination required by law. Dhpp is a core vaccination for all dogs, and is commonly referred to as the Distemper/Parvo vaccination. This is a potentially life-saving vaccination for puppies.  Bordetella is a commonly given optional vaccination determined by your dog's lifestyle and limits the severity and duration of the highly infectious disease called Kennel Cough. If your dog goes to the groomer, to boarding facilities, or the dog park, this vaccination is  incredibly valuable. There are a few other  (such as Lyme, Canine Flu, Leptosporsis) specialized to a dog's lifestyle that we will discuss if your dog is determined to be at risk.

• Intestinal Parasite Exam (commonly called a "fecal") The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends twice yearly checks for zoonotic diseases like intestinal parasites. These are worms that you and your children can catch!
• Heartworm Test is one of the most important ways to keep your dog's life from getting cut short by an easily preventable disease. There is currently no cure for heartworms (the chemical that was the only "cure" is no longer being manufactured) and the disease is deadly. Getting your dog tested ensures that your heartworm prevention is working or, if your dog is not on prevention, how severe the disease is and whether or not we will be able to treat it.
  

You can choose vaccines and testing to fit your budget. We recomend having your pet's yearly physical and rabies vaccine done first. You can then return the following month for an appoinment with our nursing staff for the remainder of the vaccines and testing. Ask us, we are here to help!

Why a Comprehensive Physical Exam by your veterinarian is so incredibly important:

With a vaccine clinic on every corner, you may wonder what the difference is between that what happens at your yearly visit here at Parkway. The vaccines you are getting for your pet do protect for many diseases, and in the case of rabies, is required by law in Duval county. However, what you may not know is that even the vaccine clinics recommend an annual Comprehensive Physical Exam by your regular veterinarian. (Seriously! If you simply read the fine print on the reciept they give you, you'll see that you're not doing yourself or your pets any favors, financially or medcially.) A Comprehensive Physical Exam is the most important part of your pet's visit to the vet. While it may seem like we are just petting and playing with your pet, we are doing a lot more. We check them from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail.  

•      Eyes - aging changes, cataracts, injuries
•      Ears - infections, check all the way down to ear drum
•      Nose - excessive drainage, growths
•      Mouth - condition of teeth, tongue and throat
•      Neck - feel thryoid, check neck for range of motion
•      Chest and back - listen to heart and lungs, check back for painful spots
•      Stomach - palpate (or feel) feeling for any masses and the general size of the organs
•      Rectum, penis or vulva- check of growths, abnormal discharge, prostate
•      Legs - range of motion
•      Whole body - lumps, general movement, how they walk and move