General Wellness

In addition to our other more advanced offerings, Woodland Springs Veterinary Hospital provides general wellness services for our furry four-legged patients in the form of physical examinations, lab work, vaccinations and parasite prevention.

Physical Examinations

At Woodland Springs Veterinary Hospital, we believe that one of the most important components of your pets’ annual wellness care is the physical examination. During these exams, our veterinarians thoroughly examine pets from head to tail to evaluate their overall health and discover any underlying health conditions. The physical exam also includes consultation regarding weight, behavior and dental health.

Wellness Lab Work

We carry out several diagnostic tests at Woodland Springs to screen pets for any underlying health conditions. These tests include:

Heartworm and Tick-Borne Disease Testing

We recommend having your dog tested for heartworms every year regardless of if he or she is currently on a preventative care regimen. Our heartworm test also screens for five different tick-borne diseases that are fairly common in this area and can be life threatening if left untreated. We require a heartworm test before prescribing heartworm prevention.

Feline Leukemia and FIV Testing

Woodland Springs recommends this important screening test for all kittens that have not been previously tested. Both feline leukemia and FIV (feline immune deficiency virus) are common and deadly diseases that kittens can contract from their mothers. Following initial screening, your veterinarian will help determine if it is necessary to test for this virus in the future. Cats that live outdoors or cats that are prone to getting into fights are likely contenders for yearly testing.

Intestinal Parasite Screening

We recommend every dog and cat that visits Woodland Springs have at least one yearly fecal sample evaluation. This test will check for many different intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, coccidia and giardia. Intestinal parasites are common findings, and many animals may be asymptomatic. Some of these parasites can spread to people, so this test is highly necessary to protect your pet and family’s health.

Wellness Blood Work

Annual blood work evaluation is very important to help assess pets’ internal organs and can lead to early detection and treatment of various diseases. Additionally, yearly blood work helps establish a benchmark for your pet that we can evaluate over time for subtle changes. Our veterinarians have designed different recommended blood panels based on your pet’s age and weight. Each panel includes evaluation of liver, kidneys, blood sugar, blood protein levels and blood-cell count (both red and white). We also check middle-aged and senior pets’ thyroids. The senior pet panel also includes urinalysis.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are the best form of prevention when it comes to protecting your pets from diseases and illnesses affecting their particular species. When you come in for your first visit to Woodland Springs Veterinary Hospital, please bring your pet’s most recent vaccination records with you, or give our receptionist the name of the clinic where previous vaccinations were administered so we can evaluate the records. Based on these records, our veterinarians will determine which pet vaccines are right for your dog or cat. We use only high-quality pet vaccinations that have a proven record of quality, effectiveness and low reactivity.

Click here for our vaccine protocol for puppies.

Click here for our vaccine protocol for kittens.

Parasite Prevention

At every wellness visit, our veterinary technicians and doctors will discuss which parasite preventative is best for you and your pet. We recommend a monthly heartworm and intestinal parasite preventative for all dogs and cats. Heartworm disease is endemic in Texas, so even dogs and cats that rarely go outdoors are at risk of contracting this deadly disease. Some of our heartworm preventatives also include monthly flea protection. We offer a wide array of heartworm and intestinal parasite protection as well as flea and tick preventatives. Your veterinarian can help you determine which one of right for your pet based on his or her lifestyle.