Veterinary Services

Pet Wellness & Preventative Care

At Terrace Heights Family Pet Clinic, we believe annual wellness care is imperative to keeping your pet happy and healthy!
Book Appointment

Wellness & Preventative Care at Terrace Heights Family Pet Clinic

It is our commitment to provide quality veterinary care throughout the life of your pet. We treat your pet as we would our own.
Wellness Exam

Your pet can benefit greatly from regular wellness examinations or checkups. Whether your pet is a youngster, a “senior citizen,” or any age in between, wellness examinations provide an excellent opportunity for us to conduct a thorough physical examination and develop a health profile for your pet. This information will help us identify medical problems and any other issues that can affect your pet’s health and quality of life. A wellness examination includes an evaluation of all of your pet’s major organ systems. During your pet’s wellness visit we gather information about your pet’s behavior, appetite, exercise habits, and regular activities at home. This is also an excellent time for us to discuss any routine diagnostic testing that may benefit your pet or to recommend any vaccinations that may be due. If your pet seems healthy, a wellness examination is a good opportunity to note any changes, such as weight gain or loss or other subtle changes that may not be evident at home. A wellness examination can help detect possible future health concerns and prevent them from becoming serious health issues. Detecting the early signs of illness and addressing these health issues before they progress will help keep your pet healthier and happier. A wellness examination is also your chance to have us address your questions or concerns about your pet. We welcome your questions. No question is too small or too silly, and it is our pleasure to address your concerns. We strive to provide education and information so that you feel comfortable that you are making the best, well informed healthcare decision for your pet. Our goal is to provide your pet with quality care throughout their lifetime so that you are able to enjoy many happy years with your favorite furball.

Puppy and Kitten Care
Do you have a new puppy or kitten? Congratulations on this addition to your family! One of the first things you should do when you bring your new pet home is to introduce him or her to us – your veterinary care team. We have designed “puppy paks” and “kitten paks” to get you and your new pet off on the right foot! Your puppy or kitten visit will include a full “nose-to-tail” physical examination. We will look for any signs of illness and make sure that your new pet is in good health. We will discuss nutrition, training, vaccinations, grooming, parasite control, and overall health. We welcome your new member of the family and look forward to helping your pet live a happy and healthy life.
Microchipping
Each year, thousands of pets go missing, and many don’t make it back home. Many pets (especially indoor pets) don’t wear collars or tags. Even if your pet wears a collar and identification tag, collars can be removed and tags can become damaged and unreadable. A collar and identification may not be enough to ensure your pet’s safe return. Your pet needs a form of identification that is reliable and can’t get lost, stolen, or damaged. A microchip is a safe, simple form of identification that can significantly increase the chance that your pet will return safely. A microchip is about the size and shape of a grain of rice and is placed underneath your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades. Microchip implantation takes only a few minutes and is very safe. Each microchip is unique and carries vital information about your pet—including your name, address, and contact information. When a microchip is implanted, the pet owner is given a registration form to complete. Registering the number on the microchip includes your pet in a national pet recovery database. Veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, and animal control offices across the country are equipped with special electronic scanners that can detect the microchip and read the identification number. If a lost pet is found and brought to a veterinarian, a quick scan of the microchip reveals the identification number. A toll-free phone call to the pet recovery database alerts the microchip company that a lost pet has been identified. The pet owner can then be contacted and reunited with his or her pet! Microchipping can be done at any age, but normally we recommend that your pet get their microchip during their spay or neuter procedure. Even indoor pets can get outside accidentally and get lost, so if you’re relying on other forms of identification, you could be placing your pet at risk. Microchipping is a safe, effective way to help your pet return home if the unthinkable happens.
Vaccinations

Vaccines play a vital role in helping to keep your pet healthy and happy. There are certain vaccine protocols followed to give your puppy or kitten the best protection against disease. These recommendations are able to be adjusted as your pet enters adulthood. Every pet has a recommendation for a Rabies vaccine. Additional vaccine recommendations are based on current AAHA (American Animal Health Hospital Association) and AAFP (American Association of Feline Practitioners) guidelines for cats and dogs.

Senior Care
Did you know that pets age faster than people and can be considered “seniors” at around 7 years of age? Just as our health care needs change as we age, your pet’s health care needs also change. Nutritional needs, exercise habits, and many aspects of your pet’s daily routine can change as your pet ages. But how can you tell the difference between “normal” aging and a medical problem? As in humans, some health issues that affect older pets can begin with very subtle changes that may go unnoticed until the problem has become serious.Regular wellness visits are important for every stage of your pet’s life, so don’t forget to keep your senior pet’s scheduled wellness appointments. The best way to help protect your pet as he or she ages is to understand the aging process in pets. We understand that process and can help you help your pet. Even if your senior pet is already being treated for a medical condition, treatment recommendations can change as a condition progresses. Sometimes medication dosages need to be adjusted, or medication may need to be changed. Routine wellness blood work and other routine diagnostic testing are important for senior pets because these tests allow us to evaluate how your pet’s health is either responding to current management strategies or changing with age. Your senior pet’s wellness examination is also your chance to have us address any of your questions or concerns about your pet. We welcome your questions and encourage you to be involved in decisions regarding your pet’s health care. Older pets make wonderful companions, and thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer than ever! You are an important ally in your senior pet’s health care. We are here to help ensure that your pet is safe and happy throughout the “golden years.
Parasite Prevention
Parasite control is an important part of your dog or cat’s overall health plan. A parasite control regiment should start when your pet is young and continue throughout their lifetime. Most parasites fall into 2 basic categories which are integral and external parasites. At Terrace Heights Family Pet Clinic we follow the CDC recommendations and guidelines for parasite control for both cats and dogs. In general, we recommend parasite preventatives that protect against internal and external parasites as well as offer recommendations that are tailored to fit your pet’s unique health needs.
Wellness Exam

Your pet can benefit greatly from regular wellness examinations or checkups. Whether your pet is a youngster, a “senior citizen,” or any age in between, wellness examinations provide an excellent opportunity for us to conduct a thorough physical examination and develop a health profile for your pet. This information will help us identify medical problems and any other issues that can affect your pet’s health and quality of life. A wellness examination includes an evaluation of all of your pet’s major organ systems. During your pet’s wellness visit we gather information about your pet’s behavior, appetite, exercise habits, and regular activities at home. This is also an excellent time for us to discuss any routine diagnostic testing that may benefit your pet or to recommend any vaccinations that may be due. If your pet seems healthy, a wellness examination is a good opportunity to note any changes, such as weight gain or loss or other subtle changes that may not be evident at home. A wellness examination can help detect possible future health concerns and prevent them from becoming serious health issues. Detecting the early signs of illness and addressing these health issues before they progress will help keep your pet healthier and happier. A wellness examination is also your chance to have us address your questions or concerns about your pet. We welcome your questions. No question is too small or too silly, and it is our pleasure to address your concerns. We strive to provide education and information so that you feel comfortable that you are making the best, well informed healthcare decision for your pet. Our goal is to provide your pet with quality care throughout their lifetime so that you are able to enjoy many happy years with your favorite furball.

Puppy and Kitten Care
Do you have a new puppy or kitten? Congratulations on this addition to your family! One of the first things you should do when you bring your new pet home is to introduce him or her to us – your veterinary care team. We have designed “puppy paks” and “kitten paks” to get you and your new pet off on the right foot! Your puppy or kitten visit will include a full “nose-to-tail” physical examination. We will look for any signs of illness and make sure that your new pet is in good health. We will discuss nutrition, training, vaccinations, grooming, parasite control, and overall health. We welcome your new member of the family and look forward to helping your pet live a happy and healthy life.
Microchipping
Each year, thousands of pets go missing, and many don’t make it back home. Many pets (especially indoor pets) don’t wear collars or tags. Even if your pet wears a collar and identification tag, collars can be removed and tags can become damaged and unreadable. A collar and identification may not be enough to ensure your pet’s safe return. Your pet needs a form of identification that is reliable and can’t get lost, stolen, or damaged. A microchip is a safe, simple form of identification that can significantly increase the chance that your pet will return safely. A microchip is about the size and shape of a grain of rice and is placed underneath your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades. Microchip implantation takes only a few minutes and is very safe. Each microchip is unique and carries vital information about your pet—including your name, address, and contact information. When a microchip is implanted, the pet owner is given a registration form to complete. Registering the number on the microchip includes your pet in a national pet recovery database. Veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, and animal control offices across the country are equipped with special electronic scanners that can detect the microchip and read the identification number. If a lost pet is found and brought to a veterinarian, a quick scan of the microchip reveals the identification number. A toll-free phone call to the pet recovery database alerts the microchip company that a lost pet has been identified. The pet owner can then be contacted and reunited with his or her pet! Microchipping can be done at any age, but normally we recommend that your pet get their microchip during their spay or neuter procedure. Even indoor pets can get outside accidentally and get lost, so if you’re relying on other forms of identification, you could be placing your pet at risk. Microchipping is a safe, effective way to help your pet return home if the unthinkable happens.
Vaccinations

Vaccines play a vital role in helping to keep your pet healthy and happy. There are certain vaccine protocols followed to give your puppy or kitten the best protection against disease. These recommendations are able to be adjusted as your pet enters adulthood. Every pet has a recommendation for a Rabies vaccine. Additional vaccine recommendations are based on current AAHA (American Animal Health Hospital Association) and AAFP (American Association of Feline Practitioners) guidelines for cats and dogs.

Senior Care
Did you know that pets age faster than people and can be considered “seniors” at around 7 years of age? Just as our health care needs change as we age, your pet’s health care needs also change. Nutritional needs, exercise habits, and many aspects of your pet’s daily routine can change as your pet ages. But how can you tell the difference between “normal” aging and a medical problem? As in humans, some health issues that affect older pets can begin with very subtle changes that may go unnoticed until the problem has become serious.Regular wellness visits are important for every stage of your pet’s life, so don’t forget to keep your senior pet’s scheduled wellness appointments. The best way to help protect your pet as he or she ages is to understand the aging process in pets. We understand that process and can help you help your pet. Even if your senior pet is already being treated for a medical condition, treatment recommendations can change as a condition progresses. Sometimes medication dosages need to be adjusted, or medication may need to be changed. Routine wellness blood work and other routine diagnostic testing are important for senior pets because these tests allow us to evaluate how your pet’s health is either responding to current management strategies or changing with age. Your senior pet’s wellness examination is also your chance to have us address any of your questions or concerns about your pet. We welcome your questions and encourage you to be involved in decisions regarding your pet’s health care. Older pets make wonderful companions, and thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer than ever! You are an important ally in your senior pet’s health care. We are here to help ensure that your pet is safe and happy throughout the “golden years.
Parasite Prevention
Parasite control is an important part of your dog or cat’s overall health plan. A parasite control regiment should start when your pet is young and continue throughout their lifetime. Most parasites fall into 2 basic categories which are integral and external parasites. At Terrace Heights Family Pet Clinic we follow the CDC recommendations and guidelines for parasite control for both cats and dogs. In general, we recommend parasite preventatives that protect against internal and external parasites as well as offer recommendations that are tailored to fit your pet’s unique health needs.