Wellness
At South Shreveport Animal Hospital, we realize that your pet is a member of your family, and you want to provide the best possible health care for your companion throughout his or her lifetime.
Our experienced veterinarians and staff are here to provide complete health care services for your pet. That means that we will help your healthy pets stay well, and we will help diagnose and treat your sick pets so that they can return to a healthy condition as quickly as possible. We are dedicated to partnering with you in the health care of your pet from the first examinations and vaccinations of your young, healthy puppies and kittens, through early detection and treatment of disease as your pet ages.
We recommend bi-annual check-ups and consistent preventive care to help alleviate serious health problems later in your pet’s life. During our wellness visits, we conduct a thorough physical examination from nose to tail, checking vital signs, looking for abnormalities, and testing for heartworms and other parasites. Wellness blood profiles and urinalysis may be recommended for your pet at certain ages or if they fit certain risk categories.
After assessing your pet’s risk of exposure to diseases, we will develop a vaccine schedule based on your pet’s individual needs. Vaccinations are vital to your pet’s health, and can save your pet from unnecessary suffering, or even an early death. They can also save you from expensive veterinary bills.
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 preventive protocols for your pet regarding the best ways to control fleas and ticks in your house, your yard, and on your pet.
At South Shreveport Animal Hospital, our approach to veterinary medicine is to be proactive rather than reactive. We like to maintain healthy lifestyles and practices to minimize hiccups and surprises for our pet parents. This includes providing guidance for your pet’s nutritional needs for each life stage, including dietary requirements for growth, weight maintenance, and performance.
Additionally, our veterinary professionals 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, our doctors and staff at South Shreveport Animal Hospital are committed to providing personal attention to the unique concerns of every pet owner. Appointments are needed for wellness visits so that we may schedule the proper amount of time needed to provide your pet with quality care.
Dog Wellness Visit
During our annual visits for dogs, our doctors will perform a thorough exam, a courtesy nail trim, and we will take samples to test for both intestinal parasites and heartworms. We will also update Rabies, Bordetella (guards against kennel cough), and Distemper/Parvo Virus boosters.
Semi-annual visits also include a comprehensive exam and courtesy nail trim. At this time, we will boost Bordetella, Leptospirosis (contagious to humans), and the Canine Influenza vaccine if needed.
Cat Wellness Visit
Felines are only required to have one visit per year for vaccines, but semi-annual wellness exams are recommended to maintain a healthy cat. During this visit our doctors will thoroughly examine your cat and trim nails upon request. We will also obtain a fecal sample to analyze for intestinal parasite infestations. Cats are given boosters for Rabies and a combination vaccine for Feline Leukemia, Rhino and Calici Viruses and Hepatitis.
Puppy and Kitten Wellness Visit
Whether you are a first-time pet owner or a seasoned pro with a new addition to your family, we are here to help keep your new puppy or kitten happy and healthy. At their first visit, our doctors will give a thorough examination and we will perform an intestinal parasite screening.
We will also provide you and your new pet with a puppy or kitten starter kit with coupons and helpful information about caring for your new pet, as well as a food and heartworm preventative sample.
New pets should start their puppy or kitten series of vaccinations at 6 weeks of age and will receive booster vaccines every 2 to 4 weeks until they are 15 weeks- for kittens, and 18 weeks- for puppies.
We recommend most pets get spayed or neutered at 6 months of age, this can prevent many hormonally driven health and behavioral problems.
Pet Geriatric Wellness Visit
As our pets get older, like people, it becomes important to have regular preventative health screenings. We have 3 pet geriatric wellness packages tailored for pets 7 years and older. We offer these geriatric profiles at a discounted rate.
Each wellness exam consists of a combination of blood work, x-rays, and electrocardiogram tests depending on the age of the pet being tested. These are designed to help make your pet’s golden years the best possible.
Please call for detailed information about each wellness package and pricing. South Shreveport Animal Hospital serves the wellness needs of pets in Shreveport, Bossier City, Benton, and Keithville.