Routine Care for Dogs and Cats in West Chester
Preventive care is not one-size-fits-all. At West Chester Veterinary Center, we take the time to learn about your pet’s age, health history, daily routine, travel, environment, and exposure risks. We then tailor examinations, screening tests, vaccines, nutrition, dental care, and parasite prevention to your pet’s individual needs and life stage.
We are happy to sit down with you, explain your options, and help you choose a practical preventive-care plan that fits both your pet and your family.
Annual Wellness Examinations
A routine examination gives us the opportunity to identify subtle changes before they become more serious. During your pet’s visit, we evaluate overall health, weight and body condition, skin and coat, eyes and ears, heart and lungs, joints and mobility, oral health, behavior, nutrition, and age-related concerns. We use those findings to recommend only the care that is appropriate for your pet.
Annual Heartworm and Tick-Borne Disease Screening
We recommend heartworm testing for dogs every year, including dogs that receive prevention consistently. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause lasting damage to the lungs, pulmonary arteries, heart, and other organs before obvious symptoms appear.
Our annual heartworm blood test also screens for Lyme disease. Lyme disease is transmitted by infected ticks and is an important concern for dogs with exposure to tall grass, brush, wooded areas, parks, trails, and other tick habitats.
The American Heartworm Society recommends the “Think 12” approach: test dogs every 12 months and provide heartworm prevention 12 months of the year.
Learn more from the American Heartworm Society.
Year-Round Heartworm, Flea, and Tick Prevention
We recommend year-round parasite prevention. Fleas can cause severe itching, flea-allergy dermatitis, skin infections, anemia, and tapeworm infection. Once fleas enter a home, immature stages can remain protected in the environment and continue emerging for months. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease and other serious infections, and exposure can occur whenever temperatures are warm enough for ticks to be active.
We provide several veterinarian-recommended options, including Simparica, NexGard, Revolution, and Vectra. Products differ in the species, parasites, ages, weights, and health conditions for which they are appropriate. We are happy to counsel you on the safest and most practical choice for your individual pet.
Vaccines Tailored to Your Pet
Vaccination recommendations are based on age, health, prior vaccination history, lifestyle, travel, environment, and exposure risk. We do not use the same schedule for every pet.
For most healthy adult dogs that have completed an appropriate puppy series and one-year booster, we recommend the DAPP vaccine (also called DA2PP) every three years, in accordance with the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) canine vaccination guidelines. DAPP protects against distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, and parainfluenza.
We recommend DAPP titer testing one time after a dog has completed the initial vaccine series. A titer is a blood test that measures antibodies and helps confirm that the dog’s immune system responded appropriately to vaccination. If the titer demonstrates an adequate antibody response, we will recommend a three-year DA2PP vaccine. Titers do not replace rabies vaccination (per county law) or vaccines such as leptospirosis, Bordetella, or Lyme.
AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines
Other Vaccines Tailored to Your Pet’s Lifestyle
Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can cause serious liver and kidney disease. It is considered endemic in the Ohio River Valley region and can be transmitted from infected animals to people. Please ask our veterinarians how we can help protect both you and your pet.
Rabies: Rabies is a fatal viral infection of the brain and nervous system that is most commonly acquired through exposure to infected wildlife. Rabies vaccination for dogs and cats is required by law. Vaccination protects your pet, your family, and the wider community.
Bordetella and Lyme: Bordetella and Lyme vaccines are recommended according to your pet’s lifestyle, travel, environment, and exposure risk. We will help you decide which vaccines are appropriate.
Annual Fecal Parasite Testing
We recommend a fecal test at least annually to screen for intestinal parasites. Some infected pets have no visible symptoms, and several parasites can also affect people. More frequent testing may be recommended for puppies, kittens, pets with gastrointestinal signs, pets that hunt or scavenge, and those with greater exposure risk.
Companion Animal Parasite Council guidance
Dental Care
Dental health affects comfort, eating, and overall well-being throughout life. Daily brushing with pet-safe toothpaste is the best home-care step. Dental chews can help in addition to—not instead of—toothbrushing.
Avoid antlers and similarly hard chews because they can chip or fracture teeth. Red or bleeding gums, persistent bad breath, loose or painful teeth, facial swelling, drainage, or teeth falling out are not normal. Please schedule an examination if you notice any of these signs.
Learn more about dental care at West Chester Veterinary Center
Nutrition and Healthy Weight
Your pet’s food and daily calories should be matched to age, body condition, activity, metabolism, and medical needs. Package feeding directions are only a starting point and may overestimate an individual pet’s needs. Calorie requirements commonly decrease after spay or neuter. We can calculate a personalized daily calorie goal and help you choose an appropriate diet.
We recommend pet-food companies with veterinary nutrition expertise, strong quality-control programs, and feeding or clinical research, including Purina and Purina Pro Plan, Iams, Hill’s Science Diet, and Royal Canin. We do not recommend raw food or raw treats because they can expose pets and people to harmful bacteria.
WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines
Behavior and Training
We recommend positive-reinforcement, reward-based training. We do not recommend electric or shock collars, painful stimulation devices, pinch or prong collars, or other punishment-based methods. For fear, aggression, resource guarding, separation anxiety, or bite risk, please schedule a longer behavior consultation so we can discuss training, environmental management, safety, and medication when appropriate.
Ohio State University Indoor Pet Initiative
We’re Here for Every Life Stage
Your pet’s needs change over time. Whether you are welcoming a new puppy or kitten, caring for a healthy adult, or supporting an aging companion, our team will help you build a thoughtful plan for lifelong health.
Thank you for allowing us to care for your cherished family member.
