Annual wellness exams are the foundation to your pet’s health. Make sure vaccinations are up to date, discuss health concerns, catch health issues you haven’t noticed, and make sure your pet is healthy.
Routine dental cleanings are paramount to your pet’s health. Without healthy teeth and gums, your pet is liable to suffer from pain and inability to eat, as well as heart and kidney problems. Be sure to discuss dental cleanings with our doctors and staff to maintain a healthy pet.
Maintaining a healthy diet plays a big part in the health and happiness of your pet. Lucks Lane Veterinary Clinic offers a variety of specialty diets and foods aimed to help tackle health problems and sustain a healthy lifestyle.
What's included in a wellness visit.
- Head-to-tail exam
- Performed by the DVM, not the technician. Includes oral exam, ophthalmic exam, cardiac and pulmonary auscultation, abdominal palpation, lymph-node check, musculoskeletal assessment, and skin/coat exam.
- Weight & body condition
- Recorded at every visit, with a 9-point body-condition-score and a muscle-condition assessment for senior patients. Trends matter more than single numbers.
- Dental assessment
- Visual grading of dental disease and recommendation for cleaning if indicated. We do not over-recommend dental work; we under-recommend it slightly, and we tell you why.
- Vaccination review
- Lifestyle-tailored protocol review. Your indoor cat doesn't need everything a puppy needs. Core versus elective vaccines reviewed annually.
- Parasite prevention
- Conversation about heartworm prevention, flea and tick control, and intestinal parasite screening based on your pet's exposure profile.
- Diet & weight
- Honest conversation about body weight, diet composition, and treats. We are matter-of-fact and unjudgmental. Most overweight pets are loved correctly and overfed slightly.
- Bloodwork
- Recommended annually after age seven; baseline once around age three. Senior panels include CBC, chemistry, T4 thyroid, electrolytes, and urinalysis. Results back within hours, most often same-day.
- Written visit summary
- Emailed to you the same day. Includes findings, recommendations, vaccine record, and any follow-up plan. We do not rely on you remembering what we said.
What does a wellness visit cost?
We give a written estimate before any procedure and we do not charge for diagnostics you did not approve.
Lifestyle-tailored vaccines, not a one-size protocol.
We perform any and all necessary vaccinations your pet needs to stay healthy. We will track your pet’s vaccination schedule and will send out reminders to you when they are due so nothing is missed.
Wellness visit FAQ.
What if my cat hates the carrier?
Most cats do. We can pre-prescribe gabapentin to give the morning of the visit; it makes the carrier easier and the exam easier. Ask at booking.
How long should I expect the visit to take?
Thirty minutes for a routine wellness exam, longer if we end up doing extra diagnostics. We don't double-book exams, so we don't rush. Plan to be in the building about 45 minutes including check-in and checkout.
Do I need bloodwork every year?
We recommend annual bloodwork beginning at age seven. Before that, a single baseline panel around age three is useful for establishing your pet's individual normals. Bloodwork is not required to perform a wellness exam.
Can I get a senior wellness package?
Yes — the Senior Pet Plan at $65/month covers twice-yearly exams, senior bloodwork twice yearly, annual chest x-rays, and blood-pressure monitoring. See .