Pet wellness exams in Oldwick, NJ
A complete physical at every visit, and wellness recommendations built around your pet's lifestyle rather than a blanket protocol.
The visit that finds problems while they are small
A regular physical examination is the foundation of preventive veterinary care, and at Oldwick Animal Hospital we perform a complete physical at every visit, whatever the reason your pet came in. When your dog or cat is healthy, we recommend a wellness exam once a year for adults and every six months for seniors. Those visits are where we build a record of what normal looks like for your individual pet, so that a change stands out early, while it is still easy to act on.
Oldwick Animal Hospital serves Tewksbury Township and the surrounding Hunterdon County villages from 130 Oldwick Road. Wellness recommendations here are individualized to each pet's lifestyle and each family's needs rather than applied as a blanket protocol, and Dr. Anna Owren Fayne grew up in Tewksbury's own village of Mountainville.
Oldwick Animal Hospital provides complete wellness care for dogs and cats in Oldwick and Tewksbury Township: a full physical at every visit, annual and twice-yearly senior exams, core and lifestyle vaccines, 4Dx heartworm and tick-borne disease testing and fecal screening, annual wellness blood work, and Saturday appointments three miles away at Hunterdon Hills.
- A complete head-to-tail physical at every visit, not only wellness visits
- Annual wellness blood work, 4Dx heartworm and tick-borne disease test and fecal exam, collected at the visit and sent to our reference laboratory
- Core and lifestyle vaccines chosen with you, given after the exam
- Integrative options including acupuncture
- Saturday appointments at Hunterdon Hills, three miles down the road
Why preventive care is not optional
How often the American Heartworm Society says every dog should be tested for heartworm.
American Heartworm SocietyHow long heartworm preventive should be given. Mosquito season in New Jersey is not predictable enough to skip months.
American Heartworm SocietyHeartworm disease has been diagnosed in every US state, including New Jersey.
American Heartworm SocietyOf US dogs and cats respectively were overweight or obese in the most recent national survey. Weight is checked at every wellness exam.
Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 2022Most dogs and cats already show signs of periodontal disease. The wellness exam is where it is graded and tracked.
American Veterinary Medical AssociationOur recommended interval between wellness exams: yearly for healthy adults, every six months for seniors.
Oldwick recommendationWhat sets our wellness care apart
Individualized, not blanket
Vaccine and prevention recommendations are based on each pet's lifestyle and each family's needs.
Annual wellness blood work
A yearly baseline that catches kidney, thyroid and liver disease, diabetes and infections earlier.
Rooted in Tewksbury
Dr. Cailles has practiced in New Jersey for more than twenty years and Dr. Fayne grew up in Mountainville.
Integrative options
Integrative medicine and acupuncture are available alongside conventional wellness care.
When to bring your pet in sooner
The wellness exam is the scheduled visit. These are the changes at home that mean you should not wait for it.
An early sign of kidney disease, diabetes or thyroid disease. Worth a visit and blood work before the next scheduled exam.
Gain or loss of more than a few percent between visits usually has a medical cause.
Often a sign of dental pain or infection. Book a visit rather than waiting for the next wellness exam.
Most are benign. All should be measured, and many should be sampled.
Often early arthritis, which is very manageable when caught early.
Can signal heart or lung disease. Call the same day.
Do not wait for the next wellness exam.
Pets mask pain. A behavior change is often the only clue.
What to expect at a wellness exam
History and your questions
What has changed since the last visit: appetite, thirst, energy, bathroom habits, lumps, limping, itching, behavior.
Nose-to-tail physical exam
Eyes, ears, mouth and teeth, heart and lungs, abdomen, skin and lumps, lymph nodes, joints and gait, weight and body condition.
Screening and vaccines
Annual wellness blood work, the heartworm and tick-borne disease blood test and a fecal exam, plus any vaccines that are due, given after the exam.
Plan and estimate
A clear explanation of what was found, what is recommended and why, with an itemized estimate before anything beyond the exam is done.
We recommend wellness blood work every year. It gives us a baseline of what is normal for your pet and catches problems earlier, such as kidney disease, thyroid disease, diabetes, Cushing's disease, infections and liver disease, and it is collected alongside the heartworm, tick-borne disease and fecal tests. At the wellness visit we take samples for a 4Dx blood test on dogs, which screens for heartworm plus Lyme, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis in one small sample, and a fecal exam on dogs and cats for roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, giardia and other intestinal parasites, several of which can pass to people. Routine samples go to an outside reference laboratory; when a pet is sick or the case is urgent, we run tests in-house. A current fecal test is also what allows us to prescribe your pet's monthly preventive. Because tick and mosquito activity follows the weather rather than the calendar, we recommend year-round flea, tick and heartworm prevention. Read more about heartworm and parasite screening.
Wellness care by species and life stage
Dogs Annual exam from age 1
Adult dogs are examined yearly, with wellness blood work, a 4Dx heartworm and tick-borne disease test, a fecal exam, weight and dental grading, and vaccines matched to lifestyle. Dogs who hike, board or visit daycare have different vaccine and parasite needs from dogs who stay close to home.
Cats Annual exam, indoor or outdoor
Cats hide illness until it is advanced, which makes the yearly exam more important, not less. Dental disease, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism and obesity are all common in cats and all are found earlier at a routine exam and yearly blood work than at home. Rabies vaccination is recommended for indoor cats too.
A visit every three to four weeks for the vaccine and deworming series, with a check of growth, nutrition and socialization at each one, then a visit around six months to plan spay or neuter.
One wellness exam a year, with wellness blood work, the annual parasite screen and vaccines as they fall due. This is when a baseline of normal weight, dental grade and blood values is built.
Every six months, usually with blood work and urinalysis. Kidney, thyroid, heart and joint disease progress quickly in older pets and are far easier to manage when caught at a routine visit.
Giant breeds reach senior status earlier, around five or six. Brachycephalic dogs and cats need closer attention to breathing, weight and dental crowding at every exam.
Saturday appointments at Hunterdon Hills
Three miles down the road
Weekend appointments for Oldwick clients are seen at Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital, 411 US Highway 22 East in Whitehouse Station, on Saturdays from 8 AM to 4 PM. An Oldwick doctor is on staff there most Saturdays along with members of our support team, and records are back at Oldwick by Monday. Sunday hours at Hunterdon Hills are for urgent care and sick visits only. See our weekend availability page for details.
Book through Oldwick as usual
Call or text our regular number and our reception team will schedule your Saturday appointment. The Oldwick reception desk is open Saturdays 8 AM to 3 PM for scheduling and medication pick-up.
What you can do at home
The wellness exam is once or twice a year. These six habits are what make the other 363 days count.
Keep a stable weight
Weigh your pet monthly if you can, and learn to feel for ribs and a waist. Weight is the most common preventable health problem we see and it affects joints, heart and lifespan.
Brush teeth, or the next best thing
Daily brushing with a pet-safe toothpaste is the standard. Dental chews with the VOHC seal, dental diets or water additives are the fallback for pets who will not tolerate a brush.
Stay on prevention all year
Give flea, tick and heartworm preventive every month, all twelve months. A warm week in February is enough to bring ticks out in Hunterdon County.
Bring a stool sample
A fresh sample (within 24 hours, refrigerated is fine) means it can go to the lab with the rest of your pet's samples, without a second trip.
Know your pet's normal
Note how much they eat and drink, how often they urinate, and how far they walk comfortably. Changes in these are the earliest signs of most chronic disease.
Film anything odd
A ten-second phone video of a cough, a limp or a strange episode at home is usually more useful to your veterinarian than a description.
The veterinarians at Oldwick
Every veterinarian on our team sees dogs and cats for wellness exams. You are welcome to request a particular doctor when you book.
Dr. Janisse Marie Cailles
Dr. Anna Owren Fayne
Dr. Kerry Elizabeth Scholz
Dr. Leighann Diehl
Wellness care close to home
Oldwick Animal Hospital is at 130 Oldwick Road, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889, a short drive from Tewksbury, Mountainville, Cokesbury, Whitehouse Station, Lebanon, Califon, Pottersville, Far Hills, Bedminster and Readington.
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM (medication pick-up)
Sunday: Closed
Saturday appointments are seen at Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital in Whitehouse Station, three miles away. Our Oldwick reception desk is open Saturdays 8 AM to 3 PM.
Wellness exam questions
How much does a wellness exam cost?
The exam fee covers your veterinarian's complete physical examination and consultation. The total depends on what your pet is due for: vaccines, the annual 4Dx and fecal screen, and annual wellness blood work. You will receive an itemized estimate before anything beyond the exam is done. Call or text (908) 439-2470 if you would like a sense of the likely cost in advance.
Does my indoor cat really need a yearly exam?
Yes. Indoor cats still develop dental disease, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, obesity and arthritis, and cats hide all of them until they are advanced. The annual exam and yearly blood work are often the only way these are found early. Rabies vaccination is also recommended for indoor cats, since bats do get into houses.
Why do you recommend blood work every year if my pet seems healthy?
Because much of what it finds does not show on the outside at first. Yearly wellness blood work gives us a baseline of what is normal for your pet and catches problems earlier, such as kidney disease, endocrine diseases like thyroid disease, diabetes and Cushing's disease, infections and liver disease, often before your pet shows any sign at home. It is collected at the same visit as the heartworm, tick-borne disease and fecal tests.
What should I bring to the appointment?
A fresh stool sample if you can, a list of any medications and supplements your pet takes including the flea, tick and heartworm products you use, the brand and amount of food they eat, and records from previous veterinarians if this is your first visit with us. A short phone video of anything you have noticed at home is often more useful than a description.
Is a wellness exam the same as a vaccine appointment?
Vaccines are given during a wellness exam, but the exam is the point. A vaccine visit without an examination misses the lump, the heart murmur or the sore tooth that the vaccine has nothing to do with. Our veterinarians examine your pet before administering any vaccine.
My pet seems perfectly healthy. Can I skip a year?
We would rather you did not, particularly for pets over seven. The value of a wellness exam is highest exactly when your pet seems fine, because that is when a problem is small enough to fix easily. It is also when we record the normal weight, blood values and dental grade that let us recognize an abnormal one later.
Which vaccines does my pet actually need?
Core vaccines, rabies and the distemper-parvovirus combination for dogs and rabies and FVRCP for cats, are recommended for every pet, and rabies vaccination is required for dog licensing in New Jersey. Lifestyle vaccines such as Lyme, leptospirosis, Bordetella, canine influenza and feline leukemia depend on where your pet goes and what they are exposed to. Your veterinarian will build a schedule for your individual pet rather than a standard list.
My pet is due for a Saturday exam. Where do I go?
Saturday appointments are seen at Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital in Whitehouse Station, three miles from Oldwick. Book through our regular number and we will schedule it for you.
Can I book online?
Yes. Existing clients can request appointments through our pet portal or the PetDesk app. New clients are welcome to call or text.
Care that works together
Part of the Symbios network
A family of 6 neighborhood animal hospitals across New Jersey, every one 100% independently and family owned. Each is rooted in its own community and run by its own doctors and front desk team, with colleagues across the family comparing notes behind the scenes. Specialists, extended weekend hours, and shared records are all just down the road.
The personal touch of your neighborhood hospital, with a whole family of doctors behind it.
Ready to book a wellness exam?
Call or text us, or request an appointment through the pet portal. New clients are always welcome; tell us it is your first visit and we will allow extra time.