pet wellness plans in melrose, ma
vet holding a bulldog puppy

Preventative Wellness Care in Melrose, MA

At Melrose Animal Clinic, we are committed to providing exceptional preventive care through all ages and stages. Wellness visits are an important piece of your pet’s wellness plan. They allow us to perform a nose-to-toes pet exams to ensure everything looks, feels, and sounds normal. Additionally, well visits give us an opportunity to learn all about your furry family members. We want you to share their behaviors, eating habits, exercise regimen, likes and dislikes, home environment and anything else that distinguishes your pet as the individual they are.

Preventive Care Throughout All Life's Stages

Wellness plans will change as your pet ages. We work with you to understand those changes and then develop effective life-stage care plans for puppies and kittens, adult pets, and seniors.

Welcoming a new puppy or kitten into your home is an exciting time, and your new pet requires extra guidance and support during their first year of life. Schedule a wellness exam as soon as possible, so we can perform a thorough health assessment. Your new pet will need to visit us several times during their first year so we can track their growth and catch any health changes that may develop. Your puppy's/kitten’s exams will include:

  • Thorough pet exams include a weight check to ensure they're growing at a healthy rate
  • Deworming treatment (an easy-to-administer liquid)
  • Vaccinations (based on their unique needs)
  • Parasite prevention
  • Discussion of spay or neuter surgery
  • Answering any questions you have about their health and/or behavior
  • Nutritional counseling

An adult’s health needs change over time. Our veterinarians work with you to establish a proactive pet wellness care plan to keep your furry friend healthy and happy for the long-term. We highly recommend yearly visits to us. We'll perform:

  • Thorough pet exams to check for abnormalities
  • Dental health exam
  • Give vaccinations as needed
  • Parasite prevention
  • Early detection blood testing to screen for potential conditions or diseases and for establishing baseline measurements for future use
  • X-rays and ultrasounds as needed
  • Discussion with you about their appetite, drinking habits, and behavior

Senior pets are at a vulnerable stage of life. They can develop problems rapidly including the same things that affect us in old age, such as weight gain, arthritis, diabetes, decreased vision or hearing, cancer, and more. That’s why we recommend semi-annual exams to stay on top of these changes. Your senior pet’s well visit will include:

  • Full pet physical exams
  • Dental health exam
  • Re-evaluating their vaccination needs and giving only what is needed
  • Early detection blood testing to screen for potential conditions or diseases and for establishing baseline measurements for future use
  • Addressing changes in their appetite, drinking habits, and behavior
How Old is My Pet in Human Years?
“When I was a child, I read the MSPCA’s magazine 'Our Dumb Animals' cover to cover, but I never dreamed I could become a veterinarian. I have always had a love for animals but it wasn’t until I was a graduate student that I realized taking care of them was my calling. My dog, Chloe, had become in pain, crying whenever she tried to open her mouth. It turns out she had an oral abscess, but our vet lanced it and by the next day, Chloe was herself again. Seeing an animal I loved in pain and then seeing that her pain could be relieved, that she could be fixed, I realized I wanted to be someone who could do that; I wanted to be a veterinarian." – Dr. Low
Read More About Our Doctors
vet with a brown dog
beagle puppy

Heartworm, Flea & Tick Preventatives

A common theme through your pet's every life stage is parasite prevention. At Melrose Animal Clinic, we highly recommend 12 months of preventive medications. The illnesses parasites can cause are devastating, difficult and costly to treat, and some can even be deadly. We know it can be overwhelming to choose an appropriate preventative from all of the options available, but that's why we're here to help. We offer a variety of parasite preventatives through our online store, and our veterinarians will help you choose the one that suits you and your pet best. Preventatives we recommend include:

  • ProHeat 6 (for dogs) - a 6-month injectable that protects against heartworm and a variety of other intestinal parasites.
  • Simparica (for dogs- a monthly chewable that protects dogs from fleas and ticks
  • Sentinel (for dogs) - a monthly oral preventative that guards against heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and prevents the development of flea eggs
  • Revolution (for cats) - a monthly topical solution that protects cats against heartworms, fleas, ear mites, ticks, roundworms, and hookworms.
  • Bravecto (for dogs and cats) - an oral chew for dogs and a topical for cats that offers a full 12 weeks of flea and tick protection.

Not only do we offer these at our pharmacy, but when you commit to 6 or 12 months of treatment, you benefit from substantial rebates that we mail in and secure for you. Learn more on our Rebates page!

cat on a towel

Interested in learning more about your pet's preventive wellness care?
Visit our video library covering a variety of preventive care topics!

Schedule Your Wellness Visit

We are committed to ensuring your pet’s needs are met, no matter what life stage they are in. Make an appointment today to get started on a unique pet wellness plan!