1724 State Rd, Suite 5D Summerville, SC 29486
PET WELLNESS & PREVENTION
Preventing illness, disease, and infection is extremely important in preserving your pet’s health and wellbeing. Routine exams are just part of this process, along with vaccination schedules, parasite control, nutrition, and much more.
EXAMINATIONS
Wellness exams don’t just tell us about your pet’s overall health— they also give us a chance to keep you informed as their owner. Through these routine exams, we can learn about and share important knowledge that’s specific to your pet’s health, including existing conditions, risk factors, and ways to improve their at-home care to prevent health problems.
During a routine exam, we’ll conduct basic non-invasive procedures including listening to your pet’s heart and lungs, checking out their mouth and teeth, checking their vision and hearing, examining their joints and muscles, and more. We’ll also welcome any questions you have about properly caring for your pet’s health and provide insights on any specific concerns you might have.
We may also conduct additional checks, such as parasite tests or fecal exams, to get a more complete picture of your pet’s health.
VACCINATIONS
Vaccinations are essential, not only to prevent fatal diseases from affecting your pet, but to also keep them from spreading to other pets as well. These vaccines are an essential part of your pet’s preventative care plan, and many are even required by law.
We’ll work with you to develop a vaccination schedule that works for you and is right for your pet’s species, breed, age, and lifestyle.
PARASITE TESTING & CONTROL
Pets are exposed to a range of parasites that can cause everything from minor discomfort and problems with digestion to major health issues and even death. Parasite testing and prevention measures are the best way to keep your pet safe.
Common parasites that pets are exposed to include fleas, ticks, heartworms, intestinal worms, and more. Fecal exams are one of the best ways to help identify potential parasite issues and prevent them from becoming serious. We may prescribe anti-parasite medication that ranges from topical creams to pills or chewable medicated treats.
MICROCHIPPING
None of us want to think about what would happen if our pet became lost and couldn’t get home to us. That’s why we attach tags to their collars with information where people can reach us. Unfortunately, lost pets often have their collars or tags lost, and stolen pets will often have them removed.
That’s where microchipping comes in— a completely safe, nearly painless, and easy procedure wherein a small microchip is inserted just beneath your pet’s skin. Once it’s there, it stores information about your pet including who owns it and how you can be contacted. If your pet ends up at a shelter, they can read the microchip and return your pet safely to you.
Microchips stay with your pet for life, with no chance of them being separated. You can even easily update the information stored on them anytime you change addresses or phone numbers.
Talk to someone at Sangaree Animal Hospital at Cane Bay about having your pet microchipped and get the peace of mind that comes with knowing your pet can easily be returned to you in the event it’s lost.
NUTRITION & WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
With 35% of pets currently considered overweight, it’s important for owners to understand that excess weight is more than just an inconvenience or ‘quirk’ for your pet— in fact, it can cause very serious health issues.
Even before these health issues set in, obesity in pets dramatically reduces their quality of life. Pets want to run, play, and be active, and being overweight reduces their ability to do these things and enjoy their life. Pets overeat because they don’t understand what it can do to them, and that’s why it’s up to us as owners to manage their diets and weight.
At Sangaree Animal Hospital at Cane Bay, we recognize this isn’t always easy. We’ll help you come up with a plan to manage your pet’s weight— including, in some cases, special nutritional changes designed to help them lose weight. (While much less common, some pets can also be accidentally underfed— an issue we’ll also help you manage and correct.)
If you have questions or concerns about your pet’s weight or diet, feel free to reach out to us at Sangaree Animal Hospital at Cane Bay.
