Your Pet's Annual Physical

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4. A discussion of the exercise your pet gets. If stress is a killer, exercise is a lifesaver.

5. Inquiry regarding the pet's behavior. An animal will often act differently long before it shows signs of disease, so your vet should ask how Pooch or Pussy has been behaving.

The Physical for Older Pets

Once a pet has reached a certain age—for example, when a dog is about seven years old—I like to give some tests that help tell me just how fast the animal is aging internally. With the results, I can determine whether the old guy may need some specific vitamin supplement, for instance. Or he may need to cut back a bit on his daily exercise.

The tests I might recommend for older pets include a urinalysis and a series of blood chemistries to evaluate organ function. I may also want to see a chest x-ray, and perhaps give a more involved stress test to determine cardiac and lung function. The specific tests will vary somewhat with the general condition of the pet (and with consideration for the owner's finances).

So there you have my feelings on what an adequate annual physical exam is: careful, comprehensive, holistic, taking into account all the factors that can affect an animal's well being. To my way of thinking, you shouldn't expect or settle for less. The other side of the story, of course, is that this type of in-depth exam doesn't come cheap.

A really thorough physical takes time, and time comes at a price. Is it worth it? Only you can decide, but it's been my experience that a really complete physical exam is, in the long run, a money saver—and one that can give your pet a better (and perhaps longer) life.

Randy Kidd is a Kansas-based veterinarian and a long-time contributor toMOTHER EARTH NEWS.

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