Pet Wellness

At Giles County Animal Hospital, our veterinarians understand that your pet is an important member of your family, and they are dedicated to providing the best animal health care for them. Our veterinarians ensure that your dog/ cat is happy and healthy through all stages of life—from their initial puppy/kitten appointments to their regular senior visits.

black cat
Canine Wellness

The Importance of Wellness Exams

Wellness exams help our veterinarians develop treatment plans and vaccination schedules that are unique to your dog—taking into account their lifestyle, environment, age and breed, medical history, and current health. More importantly, wellness exams allow our veterinarians to ensure that your dog is heathy from nose to tail, allowing them to examine their hearing, heart, vision, lungs, joints and much more!

Heartworm Prevention for Dogs

Dogs are especially prone to contracting heartworm—a worm that, when infected, lives in the heart of your dog. Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos. Once the larvae has grown into adult worms, they can cause serious heart disease and respiratory problems in your dog. At Giles County Animal Hospital, our veterinarians recommend the use of a year-round heartworm and parasite preventative—this can be taken orally or absorbed through your dog’s skin.

Canine Wellness at Giles County Animal Hospital includes:

  • Allergies and Dermatology
  • Comprehensive Wellness Exams
  • Dental Care
  • Diagnostic Services
  • Fleas and Tick Prevention
  • Grooming
  • Heartworm Prevention
  • Hospital Boarding
  • Microchip Implantation
  • Pet Bathing
  • Surgery

For New Patients

If your dog is new to our animal hospital, we recommend that you bring a copy of your dog’s previous records to his or her first appointment. We ask that all dog owners bring a stool sample (ideally less than 12 hours old), and your dog on a leash or in a carrier.

Feline Wellness

The Importance of Wellness Exams for Cats

Wellness exams help our veterinarians develop treatment plans and vaccination schedules that are unique to your cat—taking into consideration their lifestyle, breed, environment, medical history, and current health. More importantly, wellness exams allow our veterinarians to ensure that your cat is completely healthy, allowing them to examine their hearing, heart, vision, lungs, joints, and much more!

Feline Wellness at Giles County Animal Hospital includes:

  • Allergies and Dermatology
  • Comprehensive Wellness Exams
  • Dental Care
  • Diagnostic Services
  • Fleas and Tick Prevention
  • Grooming
  • Hospital Boarding
  • Microchip Implantation
  • Pet Bathing
  • Surgery

For New Patients

If your cat is new to our animal hospital, we recommend that you bring a copy of your cat’s previous records to his or her first appointment. We ask that all cat owners bring a stool sample (ideally less than 12 hours old), and your cat in a carrier.

Senior Pet Care

Preventive exams for senior dogs and cats help prevent conditions and diseases that are common during the later years in life. These conditions include bone and joint problems, hormone disorders, cancer, and diseases of the kidney, heart, and liver. Because pets age at a faster rate than humans, we recommend biannual exams for senior pets to check for any underlying conditions.

Common Age-Related Issues in Dogs and Cats

  • Changes in your dog’s nutritional requirements.
  • Dental disease resulting in pain, a decreased appetite, or possible infection.
  • Changes in your dog’s weight.
  • Noticeable orthopedic problems associated with osteoarthritis.
  • Changes in or loss of hearing and/or eyesight.
  • Behavioral changes.
  • Fluctuating bowel or urinary habits.
  • Evident development of lumps and bumps, and/or other skin/coat changes.

At Giles County Animal Hospital, we offer senior wellness care programs that are tailored specifically for the needs your pet. Our senior exams include a complete exam, urinalysis, blood-chemistry panel, and parasite evaluation. Our veterinarians can also suggest special formulated food for your pet, whose new nutritional needs will benefit from an adjusted diet.

In addition to biannual exams, keeping your older pet active may help to slow the deterioration of senses associated with the aging process. We can help you create an exercise plan that is appropriate with your pet’s ability, and mental stimulation games for your senior pet.

Puppy Care

Because a puppy’s immune system is still developing, it is important that they are protected against diseases and illnesses they are vulnerable to—which is why our veterinarians create a unique vaccination plan just for your puppy! Taking into account their breed, size, lifestyle and environment, and current health, our veterinarians will create a preventative health plan that will keep your puppy happy and healthy from nose to tail!

Puppy Care at Giles County Animal Hospital includes:

  • Behavioral and housetraining recommendations
  • Comprehensive wellness exam
  • Customized vaccination and preventative health plan
  • Dietary and nutritional recommendations
  • Flea and tick control
  • Parasite and heartworm prevention

Your puppy’s wellness exam is a great time to ask your veterinarian any questions you may have regarding the health and behavior of your pup. Our veterinarians are well-versed in things including diet and exercise, behavioral issues, housetraining, spay/neuter, and much, much more! Their top priority is always the health and wellbeing of your family pet!

Preparing for your puppy’s first visit

For the first exam, we suggest that you bring any health information from the seller, breeder, or shelter from which should include a history of prior vaccinations and deworming. We also ask that you bring a fresh stool sample, and bring your puppy on a leash or in a secure carrier.

It is important that you continue to feed your puppy what he or she was given at the pet store or shelter. You and your veterinarian can discuss your puppy’s future nutritional needs during your pup’s first visit.

Kitten Care

Because a kitten’s immune system is still developing, it is important that they are protected against diseases and illnesses they are vulnerable to—which is why our veterinarians create a unique vaccination plan and treatment plan just for your kitten! Taking into account their breed, lifestyle and environment, and current health, our veterinarians will create a preventative health plan that will keep your kitten happy and healthy for years to come!

Kitten Care at Giles County Animal Hospital

  • Comprehensive wellness exam
  • Customized vaccination and preventative health plan
  • Dietary and nutritional counseling
  • Parasite control

Your kitten’s wellness exam is a great time to speak with your veterinarian about any questions you may have regarding the health and behavior of your kitten. Our veterinarians are well-versed in things including diet and exercise, behavioral issues, spay/neuter, and much, much more! Their top priority is always the health and wellbeing of your family pet!

Preparing for your kitten’s first visit

For your kitten’s first exam, we suggest that you bring any health information from the seller, breeder, or shelter from which should include a history of prior vaccinations and deworming. We also ask that you bring a fresh stool sample, and bring your kitten on a leash or in a secure carrier.

**It is important that you continue to feed your kitten what he or she was given at the pet store or shelter. You and your veterinarian can discuss your kitten’s future nutritional needs during your kitten’s first visit.**

Pet Vaccinations

At Giles County Animal Hospital, we believe in the power of vaccinations, as they help prevent serious illnesses and diseases from infecting your pet. Our veterinarians create unique vaccination schedules for each pet—always taking into account their lifestyle and environment, age, breed and size, health history, and current health. And because we know that these factors may change over time, our veterinarians review your pet’s vaccination schedule and preventative health plan each visit to ensure that your pet maintains a course of good health.

Vaccines can sometimes cause bad reactions in your pet—these reactions are normally mild and short. Some side effects may include soreness (in the area where the vaccines was given), aches, fever and drowsiness, among others and depending on the vaccine. Our veterinarians and technical staff will walk you through the possible side effects and what you can do to make your pet comfortable after their visit.

We also offer our patients a Vaccinees For Life Program which you can learn more about here.

Flea & Tick Prevention

At Giles County Animal Hospital, our veterinarians treat your pet with the safest and high-quality pet flea and tick preventative medicine—all of which can be found and purchased in our In-House Pharmacy

When your pet comes in for a wellness visit, our veterinarians will collect a stool sample to test and make sure that your pet is parasite-free. At Giles County Animal Hospital, our veterinarians suggest giving your pet a monthly parasite preventative medications—this can be given orally or it can be absorbed through your pet’s skin, and will ensure that your pet can roam freely in your backyard without any worry of contracting any parasites!

Your Pet can Contract Parasites if…

  • He or she drinks unsanitary water (puddles, ponds, dirty water, etc.)
  • He or she eats grass that is already infected with parasite eggs
  • He or she eats other pet’s stool that is infected with parasites
  • He or she is interacting with other pets that are already infected with parasites
Heartworm Prevention

Heartworm is a serious diseases that, when infected, can cause serious heart and respiratory conditions in your pet. Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos. Though small, these worms can cause serious problems and can compromise the quality of life of your pet.

At Giles County Animal Hospital, our veterinarians are huge proponents of monthly heartworm and parasite preventatives. These monthly preventatives can be taken orally or can be absorbed through the skin of your pet. Our veterinarians recommend annual parasite screenings to ensure that your pet is parasite-free for the rest of their lives.

Please call us today with any questions or concerns regarding the health and behavior of your pet, or to schedule an appointment with one of our veterinarians.