Preventative Care

Keeping your pet healthy is our number one priority here at Swedesboro Animal Hospital. There are a number of things you must do at home on a daily basis. Proper nutrition, fresh water, regular exercise, optimum shelter and lots of love are the basics.

Our veterinarians will counsel you on specifics for your breed or type of pet. Yearly Wellness Exams are the best way to insure your best friend is healthy and that you are doing everything possible to maintain great health. A Yearly Wellness Exam might include:

  • A complete physical exam by a veterinarian
  • Testing for heartworms and other intestinal parasites
  • Vaccination or titer level tests to insure your pet is protected
  • Blood Chemistry Analysis as a baseline for future reference
  • Blood Cell Count Analysis
  • Urine Analysis
  • Blood Pressure Analysis

Spending time with your veterinarian discussing any concerns, asking advice, and developing a relationship is very important. Your education is important to our doctors. Our doctors need to know you and your pet. Diagnostic Tests reveal a wealth of information. They can expose a problem if it exists or they can provide a baseline of vital information to be used as a reference if anything changes from year to year. They can also expose a problem before it takes hold, and every step can be taken to take care of the problem—early.

Topics like flea and tick prevention, heartworm disease, proper nutrition, vaccines, breed-specific issues and day-to-day care can all be discussed during this visit. Every pet is different and we will develop the optimum care plan specific for your best friend. Many factors are considered when developing this specific plan.

As your pet grows older regular scheduled exams become extremely important. Please try to remember taking your pet to your veterinarian once a year is like us going to see our family doctor once every seven years! We recommend every dog or cat over six years of age come see us at least twice a year. The larger breeds of dogs can start this protocol around four to five years old.

Please call us at 856-467-0004 to request an appointment at your convenience. You can also request an appointment on-line here at this website. We’ll call you back and confirm.

After making an appointment for a Yearly Wellness Exam please follow the helpful steps outlined below:

  • Do not feed your pet for 12 hours prior to your appointment (they may have water). This allows for accurate blood analysis as well as cuts down on motion sickness during the car ride.
  • Bring in a fresh stool sample in a plastic baggie and a urine sample in a small clean container if necessary
  • Write down any concerns or issues you would like to discuss with our Technicians or Doctors (helps you remember!)
  • If you and your pet are able, safely walk your pet outside the hospital for a few minutes before your appointment. This can relax your pet and they may even have to use the bathroom!
  • Please let our office know in advance if you need special assistance or your pet has any major health concerns.
  • Always have your pet on a leash or in a carrier; this insures their safety.