Preventive Care for Every Stage of Your Pet’s Life

The medical team at Matthews Animal Clinic believes prevention is the key to your pet's long-term health. If a health problem or issue can be detected in its early stages, there is a far greater likelihood it can be resolved and treated with less difficulty, less expense and greater success.

Thorough yearly examinations at our animal clinic, are our chance to assess your pet's overall health, discuss any changes we see, educate and update you on advancements in medical care, and for you to discuss any concerns or questions you may have.

These important appointments are invaluable in keeping your pet happy and feeling great.

Your Pet’s Wellness Appointment at Matthews Animal Clinic

Your pet's annual wellness exam at our animal hospital includes our commitment to:

• Examine teeth, throat and oral cavity
• Check vision and examine the eyes
• Examine the ears for infection, ear mites, allergic reaction and other related health issues
• Examine the respiratory system
• Assess your pet's heart
• Test your pet's reflexes
• Palpate lymph nodes and abdomen
• Inspect the skin
• Palpate joints and muscles for arthritis and other orthopedic conditions
• Test to evaluate the function of internal organs, blood, and other systems

At home, watch for subtle changes in your pet's body weight, appetite, water intake, urination and bowel habits, general attitude and activity level. Should your pet exhibit any changes or signs of potential illness, please don’t wait. Call our office right away for an appointment.

Good Communication Supports Good Health

During each examination, we also take the time to listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and give you all the information you need to be the best caregiver to your pet. Good communication ensures your beloved companion is receiving the optimal care and attention needed to live a long, healthy life.

Balanced Vaccinations

Up-to-date vaccinations play a large part in keeping your pet healthy and free from disease. However, not every pet requires the same series or frequency of vaccines. Our veterinarians tailor a vaccine protocol specific to your pet based on his or her breed, age, lifestyle and recommendations from the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Caring for Your New Puppy or Kitten

Bringing a puppy or kitten home is a very exciting time for you and your family. When a new puppy or kitten comes into our clinic, it’s a delightful experience for our doctors and veterinary team, too.

Our puppy and kitten programs are designed to cover all the fundamental health care needs of your new pet during his/her early life stages. We partner with you to create a custom health plan so your new companion receives the vaccinations and examinations required to get the best possible start in life.

We also take plenty of time during these visits to offer health care, nutrition and training advice and talk with you about any concerns you may have. Puppy and kitten visits are an excellent way to get your new pet started on the road to a happy and healthy life. Let’s take these important first steps together!

Parasite Prevention

Fleas and Ticks

Fleas and ticks are more than a nuisance; they carry diseases dangerous to both you and your pet.

The best course of action to protect both your pet and yourself from fleas, ticks, and the potential of tick-borne disease is prevention. There are many safe, effective flea and tick control products available at our hospital, and our veterinary team will help you choose the correct preventive regimen based on your pet's risk factors and health status.

Heartworm Disease

Heartworm disease is a serious, life-threatening disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It affects dogs and, to a lesser extent, cats. Heartworm disease is found almost everywhere in the continental United States.

Fortunately, Heartworm disease prevention is simple and effective. If you would like to find out more information on how best to protect your pet from this dangerous parasite or if you’d like to have your pet tested for Heartworm disease, please call the staff at Matthews Animal Clinic today for an appointment.

Exotic Pet Care

We offer optimum wellness care for rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets and other small mammals. Since it is often difficult to determine if these pets are ill, we strongly recommend routine physical examinations to check for health problems and nutritional and husbandry-related conditions.

To survive attacks from their predators, exotic animals like pocket pets conceal their illnesses in the wild. As a result, their medical problems often go unnoticed for long periods. By the time you recognize there is a problem with your pet, the condition is often extremely serious. With regular examinations by a veterinarian at Matthews Animal Clinic, problems can be diagnosed before they become more serious, threatening medical conditions.

Our staff of skilled professionals is well trained in the care and husbandry of small mammals and can give you the information you need to keep your pocket pet looking and feeling great.