General Examination

A general examination assesses the animal as a whole, not just the complaint you came in with. We examine from nose to tail even when there is one clear problem, because cats and dogs hide illness well and a second condition is often found somewhere entirely different.

What happens in the consultation

We listen first. When the problem started, how it has changed, what the animal eats, how it drinks and toilets, and any medication it is on are the most valuable part of the diagnosis. This is the history, and it accounts for roughly half of the examination.

The physical examination follows:

• Weight and body condition score
• Body temperature
• Colour of the mucous membranes and capillary refill time
• Palpation of the lymph nodes
• Listening to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope
• Palpation of the abdomen
• Skin and coat, and a check for external parasites
• Ears, eyes, mouth and teeth

Where the findings call for it, we recommend blood counts, biochemistry, urine testing or imaging. We explain why each test is being asked for and what the result means in language you can act on.

Coming to the appointment

Bring the vaccination record. If the problem has been going on for a while, note when it began. If there is vomiting, diarrhoea or a urinary complaint, a fresh sample speeds up the diagnosis considerably. Bring the packaging of any food or medication in use.

Fasting is only needed when blood biochemistry is planned. In that case the animal should be off food for eight to twelve hours, with water left available.

How often to come

For a healthy adult cat or dog, an annual examination is enough. For older animals, meaning cats over ten and dogs over seven, we recommend every six months, because disease moves faster at that stage of life.

Beyond that, do not wait for the annual check if any of these change: appetite or water intake, weight, toilet habits, activity level, behaviour, or breathing.