Adult and Senior Wellness

            At Antelope Creek Veterinary Healthcare Center we strongly believe in preventative wellness care, to achieve a long, healthy life for all pets.

 Our Wellness Recommendations include:

1. Comprehensive Physical Examinations are the most critical part of our wellness program.  We recommend annual examinations on all adults and for our senior patients every 6 months.  Remember most dogs age 7 years for every 1 year of a person’s life, so detecting problems early is very important to provide successful treatment for many conditions.
2. Vaccinations are a critical part of our preventative healthcare plan.  We tailor a vaccination program for your pet based on its needs and risk of exposure. There has been a lot of research and debate in the veterinary profession over appropriate vaccination protocols.  We have followed the research and discussion carefully searching for the best protection for our patients without vaccinating more frequently than necessary.  New research shows that some vaccinations provide immunity for more than 1 year.  Therefore, a vaccination program will be recommended for your pet based on their exposure and according to the most current knowledge regarding vaccinations.
3. Parasite prevention is an important health care concern not only for your pet but for your family as well.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports many cases each year of parasitic diseases which are transmitted between pets and people.  Most of these diseases could have been easily prevented with routine veterinary care.  We recommend annual fecal tests in adult dogs to check for these internal parasites. In addition, we recommend monthly heartworm prevention for all dogs, which in many cases, also provides some protection against internal parasites (worms).  Fleas and ticks are external parasites that are frequently a problem in Nebraska in the spring through fall.  We carry a variety of product that can provide your pet with safe, effective protection against these pests. We will create a comprehensive internal and external parasite prevention program based on your pet’s lifestyle.
4. Wellness blood work can be a crucial tool in our preventative healthcare program. Depending on the age and health of your pet, at the time of the annual physical exam we may recommend blood work or urinalysis. These tests help us with early diagnosis of disease like diabetes, anemia, thyroid and kidney disease. These types of diseases can not be detected by physical exam alone and early intervention can significantly affect your pet’s response to therapy.

In addition, our veterinarians will discuss nutrition, behavioral issues, breed specific conditions, and any other topics of importance to you and your pet during the wellness examinations.  Through prevention, early detection and timely intervention, you can have a tremendous impact on the quality of life and longevity of your pet.