Veterinary Service
Pet Wellness Exams
Pet Wellness Exams in Leander, TX
Pet Wellness Exams
We wish to assist you in caring for your pet. We hope you find value in your pet’s annual tests and check-ups because, like in any relationship, communication is key. It is essential to your pet’s health that you bring them in for physical checkups at Agave Veterinary Care and Exotic Animal Hospital. We provide complete physical exams so that we can find any possible issues before they become significant issues. Regular physical examinations can help prevent a number of pet health issues, which is why we advise that your pet see one of our veterinarians at least once or twice a year depending on age and species. While physical examinations are important for animal health, you can contribute by caring for your pets. Take thorough notes and bring your pet to our Hospital for a checkup if you detect any irregularities.
What happens during a physical examination? The veterinarian will perform a head to tail check up, looking over all body systems for evidence of disease. Since pets can’t talk, a thorough exam is crucial for detecting abnormalities that may be making your pet feel sick. Your veterinarian will discuss the findings with you during the process, answer any questions, and review any concerns you may have about a physical problem or changes in your pets routine or demeanor. Feel free to bring a list of questions and/or video of concerning behaviors you’re observing at home.
Vaccines
Vaccinations are a critical part of wellness care for our pets. The vaccine protocols at Agave Veterinary Care are tailored to the unique needs of each patient.
For dogs, we recommend rabies, DA2PP (distemper, adenovirus aka hepatitis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza), leptospirosis, and bordetella vaccines for all dogs in the central Texas area. Boosters are needed every one to three years depending on the vaccine and patient. We also offer influenza vaccines for dogs with a more social lifestyle (frequent trips to doggy daycare, grooming, dog parks, etc.) and a vaccine to protect against rattlesnake envenomation for dogs at risk.
All cats should receive FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia) and rabies vaccines, again every one to three years. We recommend FeLV (feline leukemia) for all kittens, and for adult cats at risk (indoor/outdoor cats and those who hang out with FeLV-positive kitties). We also offer a variety of vaccines for small exotic species.
Rabbits are vaccinated against Pasteurella, a bacteria that can cause chronic upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, and infections of the eyes, ears and bones. We also recommend vaccinating rabbits against Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV2), a devastating liver disease found in wild rabbits in Texas in 2020.
Finally, ferrets are vaccinated for distemper with the PureVax ferret distemper vaccine, both as kits, and then annually for adults. Ferrets must also be vaccinated for rabies. Ferrets are only given one vaccine at a time and should be monitored for vaccine reactions for thirty minutes after vaccination prior to leaving the veterinary office, so please plan accordingly.
Preventative Care
In addition to regular wellness exams and vaccines, preventative care is tailored to each patient based on their age, sex, species, and medical history. Most species are screened at least once yearly for parasites such as heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, coccidia, and more. We also recommend annual bloodwork to check your pet’s cell counts, as well as organ function including liver and kidney values, blood sugar, electrolytes, and other parameters.