Wellness Plans - Quail Creek Veterinary Clinic - OKC, OK

ANNUAL WELLNESS

We recommend yearly exams to stay up to date on your pet's health and any issues.  Common problems include diet issues, allergy issues, and periodontal disease.  We have specific FAQs pages with helpful information on these conditions.

Heartworm prevention and testing:  We recommend year-round heartworm prevention and testing yearly.  We test yearly for the following reasons:

1. Test the efficacy of the prevention and have an early indication for preventative failure due to resistance or product failure,

2. The preventative could cause a dangerous allergic-type reaction if given to a heartworm positive dog,

3. Preventative companies typically only guarantee their product if accompanied by negative tests yearly.  

Heartworm disease is a year-round problem in Oklahoma because heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes, which are alive and well all year due to our warm and humid climate.  Prevention is much safer and easier than treating a dog with heartworm disease; the treatment can be painful and dangerous, and heartworm disease itself can be fatal

Intestinal Parasites: The two most common intestinal parasites in dogs are hookworms and roundworms, two parasites that are zoonotic.  Children and older or immunocompromised adults are at a higher risk due to poor hygiene and poor immune system function, respectively.  Heartworm prevention is a monthly dewormer, which is good since most pets will continue to be exposed to eggs in the soil in their environment.  Hookworms have a very short life cycle (2-3 weeks), so we may prescribe an additional dewormer to use in between doses of heartworm prevention. 

PUPPIES AND KITTENS

Puppy and Kitten visits are scheduled every 3-4 weeks until your pet receives at least 2 consecutive vaccinations, typically finishing when your pet is 16 weeks old.  Each puppy and kitten visit consists of a physical exam, intestinal parasite screen, recommended vaccinations, and a free dose of heartworm preventative.

SENIOR PETS

We offer a semi-annual exam including bloodwork if your pet is considered a "Senior Pet", typically a dog over the age of 6 for large or giant breed dogs, 8 for medium dogs, and 10 for small breed dogs, or a cat over the age of 8.  These yearly exams (typically 6 months after an annual physical) may be recommended earlier if your pet has a previously diagnosed health condition or is on a medication and requires close monitoring.