Routine visit and clinical examination

What it involves

A basic visit is an appointment at which the veterinarian takes a history and examines the animal from nose to tail: assesses the condition of the skin and coat, the mucous membranes and lymph nodes, listens to the heart and lungs, palpates the abdomen, checks the ears, eyes and mouth, and measures temperature and body weight.

The aim is to answer two questions: is the animal healthy and, if not, where does the problem lie and what needs to be checked next. A clinical examination can detect heart murmurs, enlarged organs, pain, dehydration or skin changes before they cause obvious symptoms.

You leave the visit with a clear plan: what we are doing today, which tests (for example blood tests in our laboratory) are needed and when we will see you again. We record everything in the patient record in line with standard STD-06.

When it is used

We recommend a basic visit once a year for a healthy adult dog or cat, and every six months for seniors. It is also the first step when something worries you: a change in appetite or behaviour, the appearance of the stool, a cough, lameness or a new skin change.

It is also the visit for a new puppy or kitten and for an adopted animal about which we know little.

Indications: symptoms that should prompt a visit

• Your dog or cat has been eating less, or not at all, for several days and is lethargic.
• You have noticed a new lump, a wound or a bald patch on the skin.
• The animal is drinking and urinating noticeably more than before.
• The cat is losing weight despite a good appetite.
• The dog coughs, wheezes or tires more quickly on walks.
• You have just adopted an animal and want to check its state of health.
• A year has passed since the last check-up.

Conditions for which we use it in particular

Diagnostics beforehand

No special preparation is needed for a basic visit. It is worth bringing the health booklet, a list of any medicines and supplements being given, and a description of the symptoms that worry you (when they began, how often they occur). If possible, please bring a stool sample.

If during the examination the veterinarian decides that blood or urine tests are needed, we carry them out on site in our laboratory; we usually have the blood count and biochemistry results the same day.

How it proceeds

Aftercare

After a preventive visit the animal returns to its normal daily routine. If we took blood, we discuss the results by telephone or at the next visit; we will tell you straight away when to expect them.

Please call if the symptoms you came with get worse, or if vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, breathing difficulty or lethargy appear.

Frequently asked questions