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Wellness Care and Exams

Wellness exams to keep your pet healthy with routine checkups, early detection, and preventive care.

Wellness Exams and Preventive Care

Routine wellness exams are an important part of keeping your pet healthy. We provide wellness exams and preventive care to monitor your pet’s health, catch issues early, and keep vaccines and preventatives up to date.

Even if your pet seems healthy, regular checkups help identify changes before they become more serious problems.

Why Wellness Exams Matter?

Pets age faster than people, and health changes can happen quickly without obvious signs. Regular exams allow us to:

  • Track your pet’s health over time

  • Identify issues like dental disease, arthritis, or weight changes early

  • Stay ahead of parasites and preventable illnesses

  • Provide guidance on nutrition, behavior, and daily care

These visits also help your pet stay comfortable with routine handling and exams.

What’s Included in a Wellness Visit?

Each visit is based on your pet’s age and needs, but typically includes:

  • Full physical exam (eyes, ears, teeth, skin, heart, lungs, and joints)

  • Weight and body condition evaluation

  • Vaccination review and updates

  • Parasite and heartworm screening as needed

  • Dental health assessment

  • Discussion of diet, activity, and behavior

  • Bloodwork or diagnostics when appropriate

How Often Should Pets Be Seen?

  • Puppies and kittens: multiple visits during the first year

  • Adult pets (1–7 years): every 6–12 months

  • Senior pets (7+ years): every 6 months

We’ll recommend a schedule based on your pet’s age, health, and lifestyle.

Regular wellness care helps prevent problems and keeps your pet on track as they age. If you’re due for a checkup or have questions about your pet’s health, we’re here to help.

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Frequently Asked Questions

There is no question too big or too small for our veterinary team.

Payment is due when services are rendered at All Creatures Pet Hospital. We accept all major credit cards and offer Care Credit for your convenience.

Heartworms have been diagnosed in all fifty states and are especially prevalent in warmer climates found in Alabama. Heartworms can be transmitted to dogs and cats by the bite of a mosquito infected with immature heartworms. If the dog or cat is not protected by a heartworm preventative, the worms can mature, eventually damage the heart and lungs, and cause death if left untreated. Please remember that heartworm preventatives are always less expensive and more effective than heartworm treatments. Dr. Ted Hankes attends conferences and lectures throughout the country to stay current and ensure that All Creatures Pet Hospital offers the safest and most effective products here at our pharmacy, including heartworm preventatives. Please call one of our caring veterinary team members at (205) 947-4083 and schedule a heartworm-preventative appointment for your companion.

Dr. Ted Hankes recommends spaying or neutering all pets not being used for breeding purposes. Sterilization not only prevents unwanted litters but can also prevent certain reproductive cancers later in their lives. Puppies and kittens can be spayed between four and six months of age. Our pets feel pain the same way people do, therefore, we administer pain medication to keep them comfortable during and after the procedure. Additionally, blood work is needed to help determine if your puppy or kitten is healthy enough for the procedure. Please call All Creatures Pet Hospital to schedule your furry friend for a spay or neuter as soon as they are old enough for the surgery.

Proper nutrition and portion control are as important for our pet companions as they are for us. Overweight pets face the same conditions as people, including arthritis, joint pain, diabetes, and heart disease, for example. Dr. Hankes can evaluate your pet to determine their individual nutritional needs, as well as the proper portions to maintain a healthy body weight. Affordable prescription diets are available at our hospital for your convenience. Schedule an appointment for your furry friend regardless of their life stage or current health condition.

Like people, pets need dental care for overall health. Without it, bacteria can cause tooth decay, gum damage, and may harm organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys. Dr. Hankes recommends dental care starting at age one to help prevent disease, improve health, and avoid costly future treatments. Contact our team at All Creatures Pet Hospital to schedule your pet's dental appointment.

In many species, one animal year equals about seven human years. A seven-year-old dog missing the vet for three years is like a 49-year-old person skipping the doctor for 21 years. At All Creatures Pet Hospital, we recommend yearly exams and blood work unless your pet is sick or has a special condition. Caring for your pet early can reduce future medications and may extend their life. Call us at (205) 947-4083 to schedule your pet's yearly visit.