What is a Comprehensive Health Assessment (CHA)?
Why Does Your Pet Need a CHA?
Dogs and Cats cannot tell us what they are feeling or where they are hurting. This often results in pets coming for treatment for conditions that could have been avoided. Too often, diagnostics are used in this industry only when there is a physical presentation of injury or disease. Our goal is to prevent injury or disease from happening in the first place.
Here’s What to Expect at Your First CHA Appointment!
The first thing to complete is the digital history. If you have not completed it yet, please do so as soon as possible. The digital history is designed to give the medical team as much information about your pet as possible. It is a key contributor to building a comprehensive health plan for your pet.
Diagnostics & Physical Exam
This will take somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the age and demeanor of your pet. Our technicians will be running all the appropriate diagnostics that are included in your package. During this time, the doctor will also conduct a physical exam.
Once completed, the doctor will complete a review and put together all the results from the CHA and build a Comprehensive Health Plan based off those results.
Doctor-Parent Collaboration
Your doctor will build a custom plan for your pet that provides a thorough, comprehensive treatment, including procedures, pharmaceuticals, diet, and nutraceuticals. We will then work with you to fi nd the appropriate spectrum of care that meets your budget and capabilities.
What We’re Looking to Find:
- Cataracts
- Conjunctivitis (inflammation of tissue around the eyes)
- Decreased Vision
- Restrictions to airflow
- Periodontal disease (Tooth Decay & Gum Disease)
- Otitis (inflammation of the ear canal)
- Pain (joint, muscle, spine, nails/digits, oral)
- Wheezes or Crackles in the lungs
- Murmurs or Arrhythmias of the heart
- Masses on the skin (or even in the abdomen)
- Dermatitis (inflammation of the skin)
- Neuropathies (abnormal nerve functioning)
Let’s Check Those Teeth
Although examining the oral cavity is part of a complete physical examination, it is important to note that a full oral exam can only be successfully performed under general anesthesia. Today, your pet’s doctor will get the best view possible of their mouth to look for indicators of dental, gingival, or other issues present. Notably, dental disease is painful! Pets will still eat and live with a chronic headache. We often see them slowing down and thinking it’s age, or arthritis, or just personality…but it is often oral pain!
Remember, teeth are like icebergs. We can only see the tip above the surface and the waves around it. We cannot see what is going on under the surface or on the other side!
On exam we may find evidence of:
- Broken or chipped teeth
- Fractured teeth with exposed roots or root canals
- Growths in the mouth (benign polyps, tumors, cycts)
- Missing teeth or persistent baby teeth
- Inflamed painful gum tissue
- Asymmetric tartar/plaque accumulation (chewing on side due to pain)
Parasite Screening: How It Works
Hookworms
Roundworms
Whipworms
Coccidia
Giardia
Tapeworms
Ear Cytology
Ear infections and ear mites are extremely common in our younger patients, and it is very common that your pet may not show any symptoms. By rapidly examining a stained ear wax preparation, we can immediately screen and diagnose the problem. If necessary, we can then decide specific diagnostic tests and targeted treatments to clear whatever problems we find.
Ear infections we could find:
- Cocci Bacteria
- Rod Bacteria
- Yeast
Did you know?
Ear infections can cause painful, smelly, itchy ears that can be difficult to clear and often lead to chronic changes to the skin and canals. Repeat infections are common, and with each repeated infection they become harder to clear.
