How to Prepare for a Wellness Exam for Your Dog or Cat

By Dr Duncan Houston

A wellness appointment is a chance to discuss changes that may seem too small for a separate visit: slower stairs, extra thirst or a new habit of hiding. A little preparation helps those details receive the attention they deserve.

It also helps the clinic plan a comfortable examination for your dog or cat.

Quick Answer

Bring medical records, an accurate medication and diet list, and your main questions in priority order. Ask the clinic in advance about samples, food instructions and any fear or travel problems. Do not wait for a routine appointment if your pet develops urgent symptoms.

What is a wellness exam?

Your vet reviews health history, daily care and lifestyle, then performs an examination appropriate to the animal. This commonly includes weight and body condition, the mouth, skin, heart, lungs, abdomen and movement.

Vaccination, parasite control, nutrition, behaviour and screening tests are discussed according to age and risk. The AAHA wellness-visit overview explains the role of regular preventive assessment.

Prepare a useful history

A video of coughing, limping or unusual sleep behaviour may be helpful because the sign may not occur in the clinic. Do not provoke pain or delay urgent care to obtain footage.

Ask about preparation instructions

Call ahead if your pet has symptoms so the clinic can choose the right appointment length and any infection-control arrangements. A “wellness” booking may need to become a problem-focused consultation.

Only bring stool or urine samples when requested, and ask how to collect, store and transport them. Do not fast your pet or stop medication unless the clinic instructs you; this is especially important for young animals and those with diabetes or other ongoing disease.

Make travel and handling easier

1. Keep a cat carrier accessible at home with familiar bedding, rather than bringing it out only before appointments.
2. Practise short, comfortable handling sessions with rewards well before the visit.
3. Use a secure carrier or appropriate vehicle restraint.
4. Tell the clinic about fear, previous bites, nausea or escape risk.
5. Ask whether a quieter waiting arrangement or prescribed pre-visit medication would help.

Cat Friendly Homes’ travel guidance explains carrier preparation. AAHA’s visit-preparation advice also supports gradual positive practice.

Avoid giving unapproved calming chews, human sedatives or leftover medication. Keep dogs away from other patients’ faces and leave cats inside their carrier until the team is ready.

Questions worth prioritising

• Is my pet’s body condition and muscle mass appropriate?
• Could the changes I have noticed indicate pain?
• What dental care is needed?
• Which vaccines, parasite controls and tests fit this lifestyle?
• What should I monitor at home, and when should the next visit occur?

Discuss cost and home-care limitations early. Ask what each test can answer, what its limitations are and how a result might change the plan.

When should you seek care sooner?

Increased thirst, weight loss, persistent vomiting, altered appetite, coughing or new lameness should not wait months for the next check-up. Contact the clinic for timing advice.

Breathing difficulty, collapse, seizures, suspected poisoning, major injury or inability to pass urine requires immediate veterinary attention.

Before leaving the clinic

Confirm medication directions, follow-up dates and how test results will be communicated. Ask who to contact if your pet worsens or has a reaction. A written plan is useful when several family members share care.

Common mistakes

• Saving a serious symptom for an annual visit.
• Guessing medication names or food quantities.
• Assuming every check-up requires identical tests or vaccines.
• Leaving without understanding the next step.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should my pet have a wellness exam?

Many adults are assessed at least annually, with more frequent visits for growing, older or unwell animals. Agree an individual schedule.

Will a normal examination rule out all illness?

No. Some conditions require tests, monitoring or repeat assessment.

Should I mention a minor behaviour change?

Yes. Small changes can help identify pain, stress or disease.

Your observations at home and the clinic’s examination work together to build a useful care plan.

Explore ASK A VET™ for practical information to help prepare your veterinary questions.