At Gibson Animal Clinic, we focus our attention on wellness and preventative care so that we can help our patients maintain a long and healthy life. It is always better for your pet’s health and more economical for you to prevent complications from progressive disorders, heartworms, parasites, and infectious diseases before they get established. This can be accomplished through regular checkups, vaccinations, and maintaining consistent preventative protection from heartworms, fleas, and ticks.
We recommend starting your young pets off with puppy and kitten appointments and then yearly visits afterwards. Annual wellness exams give us the opportunity to evaluate your pet’s overall health while providing us with a baseline for their particular bodies and tendencies. During a physical exam, our veterinarian will perform a complete wellness examination of your pet, checking your pet's teeth and oral cavity, examining the joints and muscles, heart and lungs, eyes, ears, and skin. We’ll check everything from nose to tail and in between.
Healthcare programs for pets are not “one size fits all” solutions. Each pet is different, and each requires a particular veterinary healthcare management plan. Puppies and kittens require different medical procedures and tests than those needed by an adult dog or cat, or one in his or her senior years. Wellness blood panels are typically recommended for senior pets 8 years and older. A urinalysis also may be recommended for your pet at certain ages, or if they fit certain risk categories, and we check kitties for feline aids and leukemia.
At your pet’s visit, we will explain potential health issues that your pet may face depending on the species, breed, the pet’s stage of life, current health condition, environmental conditions, habitat, and so forth. Based on these factors, we will develop a vaccine schedule for your pet’s individual needs; we typically begin vaccinating puppies and kittens at 6 weeks of age. We will also develop preventive protocols for your pet regarding the best ways to control fleas and ticks in your house, your yard, and on your pet.
Taking into account your pet’s breed, age, health condition, activity level, and lifestyle, we also provide guidance for your pet’s nutritional needs for each life stage that includes dietary requirements for growth, weight maintenance, and performance.
Additionally, our veterinarian can spay or neuter your pet at the appropriate age, not just to prevent unwanted litters, but to lessen the development of cancer in both genders of dogs and cats.
Whether you’re in need of a checkup, diagnostic services and treatment for a sick pet, or preventative care to keep your pet healthy, the team at Gibson Animal Clinic is committed to providing personal attention to the unique concerns of every pet owner. Please ask about our puppy and kitten packages.
Gibson Animal Clinic is conveniently located to pet parents in Waycross, Blackshear, Nahunta, Folkston, Homerville, Pearson, and other nearby communities. Call today to schedule an appointment to start your pet on the road to a happy and healthy life.