Routine exams are one of the most important ways to keep your pet healthy and happy. Even if your pet seems healthy to you, a veterinarian may notice subtle changes in your pet’s physical exam from year to year that could point to a medical concern. ​

Appointment Procedures Include

• Listening to the heart and lungs checking for heart murmurs or congestion
• Feeling  the abdomen to make sure vital organs are the proper size 
• Checking the joints for signs of arthritis
• Checking the skin and hair coat for wounds, growths, skin infections, hair loss,  or external parasites. ​

Appointment Tips

• Yearly/Annual Wellness Visits
  • ​If your pet is receiving bloodwork testing (junior wellness labwork or basic wellness bloodwork), please bring in a urine and fecal sample to expedite your appointment. 
• Sick Visits
  • Urinary Problems - Please refrain from letting your pet urinate one to two hours before your scheduled appointment so that we have better luck collecting your pet's urine. Fresh urine samples through cystocentesis provide the best urinalysis diagnostics and allow us to treat your pet appropriately. 
  • Parvo - If you suspect your dog may have parvo, please refrain from bringing your dog into the clinic lobby. Instead, let us know that you have arrived at the clinic via our phone number and a technician will walk you directly to your appointment room. Parvo symptoms in puppies consist of diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite. 
• General Tips
  • ​If your pet is stressed easily from vet visits, whether due to physical exams, blood draws, nail trims, or other procedures, consider asking your vet about oral anxiety medications that would work best for your pet prior to their visit to Lesslie Animal Hospital. In some cases, anxiety medications may not work; IV sedation may be used instead. If your pet requires sedation via IV, please withhold food and water on the morning of your pet's appointment. 

Paying for your appointment

Lesslie Animal Hospital does not offer any payment plans for veterinary services. All payments are due when services are rendered. There are helpful resources such as CareCredit, Scratch Pay, Pumpkin, Trupanion, and Nationwide Pet Insurance that may assist in paying for your pet's veterinary bills. For customer paying with a credit/debit card, there will be an added 4% fee to all transactions. The fee does not apply to bills paid using a check or cash. 

How to book an appointment

Call (803) 324-8890 for all appointments or fill out the forum below.