Preventive Wellness Care for Dogs and Cats in Dubuque, IA
Routine pet wellness exams are the key to keeping your pet healthy. They give our veterinarians a chance to catch up with you and your pet and detect underlying health issues that could be affecting your pet’s health. We take a thorough, head to tail approach during every check-up, with clear communication about services, pricing, and what your pet truly needs. From bloodwork and parasite screening to tailored vaccine schedules, every recommendation is grounded in medical knowledge and delivered with your pet’s comfort in mind.
At PetMed of Key West Veterinary Clinic, we want your canine or feline family member to live a long life. That’s why we recommend regular checkups and offer complete lifestage wellness plans for dogs and cats.
What is a Pet Wellness Exam?
The wellness exam is an annual physical exam we recommend for all dogs and cats. It gives us the ability to detect disease processes early enough to treat them with minimal effect on your pet and make recommendations to improve your pet’s overall care.
The wellness exam generally includes:
- Physical Exam: We evaluate your pet’s health by checking their vitals and examining them from nose to tail for any signs of health problems.
- Parasite Exam: We perform a parasite exam to see if your pet is harboring any fleas, ticks, heartworms, and other internal or external pests.
- Complete Blood Screen: We recommend a complete blood screen to check your pet for any internal health problems that aren’t apparent from the outside.
- Oral Exam: Dental disease is common in dogs and cats. We’ll check your pet’s teeth and gums to see if they’re due to have their teeth cleaned.
- Nutrition: A balanced diet is critical. We’ll discuss your pet’s nutritional needs to ensure they’re getting the right nutrients.
- Vaccinations: If your pet has a clean bill of health and is due for their immunizations, we’ll get them up-to-date.
Lifestage Pet Wellness Plans for Dogs & Cats
It’s easier to keep up with your pet’s care when you have a plan. At PetMed, we offer affordable monthly subscription plans for puppies and kittens, adult dogs and cats, and senior dogs and cats. These plans cover the cost of essential treatments including wellness exams, vaccinations, flea, tick, and heartworm prevention, and annual lab tests.
Feline Young (Kitten) Wellness Plan
- All Vaccine Visits (Exams)
- All Vaccines
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Feline Leukemia
- FeLV/FIV Test
- Viral Testing
- GI Parasite Exam and recheck if positive
- 6 months of Nexgard Combo (Flea / Tick / Parasite Prevention)
- $25 Off Spay/Neuter
- Enrollment Fee: $260 (First Month Included)
- Monthly Subscription Fee: $36 (12% Savings!)
Feline Adult Wellness Plan
- Annual Wellness Exam
- All Yearly Vaccines
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Feline Leukemia
- Annual Labs
- FeLV/FIV and Heartworm Testing
- GI Parasite Exam
- CBC (Complete Blood Count)
- Blood Chemistry
- 6 months of Nexgard Combo (Flea / Tick / Parasite Prevention)
- Enrollment Fee: $173 (First Month Included)
- Monthly Subscription Fee: $26 (12% Savings!)
Feline Advanced Wellness Plan
- Annual Wellness Exam
- All Yearly Vaccines
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Feline Leukemia
- Annual Labs
- FeLV/FIV and Heartworm Test
- GI Parasite Exam
- CBC (Complete Blood Count)
- Blood Chemistry
- Urinalysis
- Cystocentesis with Ultrasound
- Used to perform urinalysis
- $100 Off Dental Cleaning/Surgery
- 6 months of Nexgard Combo (Flea / Tick / Parasite Prevention)
- Enrollment Fee: $286 (First Month Included)
- Monthly Subscription Fee: $36 (12% Savings!)
Canine Young (Puppy) Wellness Plan
- All Vaccine Visits (Exams)
- All Vaccines
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Bordetella
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme
- GI Parasite Exam and recheck if positive
- Initial Deworming
- 12 months of Heartworm Prevention (Heartgard or Nexgard Plus) OR
- 12 months of Flea / Tick Prevention (Nexgard or Nexgard Plus)
- $25 Off Spay/Neuter
- Enrollment Fee: $400 (First Month Included)
- Monthly Subscription: $68 (15% Savings!)
Canine Adult Wellness Plan
- Annual Wellness Exam
- All Yearly Vaccines
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Bordetella
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme
- Annual Labs
- 4Dx (Heartworm and Tick Test)
- GI Parasite Exam
- CBC (Complete Blood Count)
- Blood Chemistry
- 12 months of Heartworm Prevention (Heartgard or Nexgard Plus)
- 12 months of Flea / Tick Prevention (Nexgard or Nexgard Plus)
- Enrollment Fee: $335 (First Month Included)
- Monthly Subscription Fee: $46 (15% Savings!)
Canine Advanced Wellness Plan
- Annual Wellness Exam
- All Yearly Vaccines
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Bordetella
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme
- Annual Labs
- 4Dx (Heartworm and Tick Test)
- GI Parasite Exam
- CBC (Complete Blood Count)
- Blood Chemistry
- FT4/TT4 (Thyroid Testing)
- $100 Off Dental Cleaning/Surgery
- 12 Months of Heartworm Prevention (Heartgard or Nexgard Plus)
- 12 Months of Flea / Tick Prevention (Nexgard or Nexgard Plus)
- Enrollment Fee: $360 (First Month Included)
- Monthly Subscription Fee: $60 (15% Savings!)
How Your Pet’s Care Changes as a Senior
Senior dogs and cats typically need to see the vet more frequently than adult pets. Most pets are considered seniors by age seven, but this can vary depending on the animal’s species, breed, size, and overall health.
Once our companions are around six to nine years of age, they become more prone to health issues such as:
- Osteoarthritis
- Dental disease
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
- Heart disease
- Vision and hearing loss
- Lumps and bumps
To stay ahead of these issues, we recommend annual physical exams and blood work (and potentially urine testing). These steps provide insight into your pet’s condition and can alert us to abnormal changes. This is why annual checkups are so critical–they give us a starting baseline, which makes abnormalities easier to catch.
Diet & Preventives
Proper nutrition and preventive care form a strong foundation for your pet’s long-term health. We offer prescription diets from Hill’s Science Diet and Purina Veterinary Diets to address specific health needs such as weight management, kidney support, and gastrointestinal care. A prescription from our veterinarian is required to ensure your pet receives the most appropriate formula.
Our supplement selection includes Welactin fish oil for skin and coat health, Dasuquin Advanced for joint support, ElleVet CBD for mobility and comfort, and a range of dental health products to promote strong teeth and gums. These products can be incorporated into your pet’s wellness plan to help maintain their overall vitality.
Does My Pet Need Parasite Prevention Year-Round?
We highly suggest keeping your dog or cat on parasite prevention all year round, because these critters can thrive in all kinds of climates, as long as the temperature is above freezing. The other issue is that fleas and ticks can find places to shelter from the cold–like your home! To minimize the risk of an infestation as much as possible, ensure your pet is getting their monthly flea and tick medication. Remember, fleas and ticks can affect humans, too.
Preventatives We Offer
Because parasites are active in Iowa year-round, we strongly recommend keeping your pet on one of the following parasite preventatives below:
- For Dogs:
- Nexgard Plus (HW/flea/tick)
- Heartgard + Nexgard
- Interceptor for beef allergies
- For Cats:
- Nexgard Combo (topical)
