Wellness and Preventive Care
Keeping Your Pet Healthy at Every Age
Like us, our pets need to stay on top of their yearly or twice-yearly wellness exams. These check-ups with Dr. Massa or Dr. DiGiuseppi are so important to catching possible problems early, preventing disease, answering your questions, and supporting your pet at all stages of their life. At Mid Island Veterinary Practice, we believe in supporting your pet’s long-term health and happiness, not short-term solutions.
Proactive wellness exams, vaccines, and parasite prevention protect your pet’s health now and save you from the heartache of a sick pet and the financial burden of hidden illness.
How do wellness exams benefit my pet
When attending your pet’s yearly or twice-yearly wellness exam, you can expect our team to examine your “whole pet.” By examining your pet’s physical, mental, and environmental well-being, we can help personalize their care for a healthier, happier life.
- Looking ahead now means fewer expensive surprises later.
- These visits help to build trust between your pet and our team, which reduces the fear and stress of visiting the vet over time.
- Personalized care and recommendations to fit your pet’s needs and your family’s lifestyle.
Our Preventive Services Include:
We offer a full range of preventive care to keep your pet healthy and thriving. This includes comprehensive wellness examinations, parasite screening with year-round protection, and personalized nutritional and weight-management support. We also provide vaccinations tailored to your pet’s lifestyle, along with behavioral guidance. In addition, we emphasize proactive dental care to help prevent future oral health issues.
House Calls
For our established patients, we are pleased to offer house-call veterinary services subject to availability. This convenient service is perfect for pets who feel more comfortable at home, providing wellness care, vaccinations, and compassionate end-of-life support right at your doorstep.
In-House Pharmacy
Our fully stocked in-house pharmacy ensures your pet gets the right medications without delay. From preventives to prescriptions, you’ll have convenient access to trusted products with no extra trips needed.
Local Risks that Can Affect Your Pet’s Health
- Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes and remain a risk on Staten Island even in cooler months. Year-round prevention is the only way to protect your pet (indoor pets included). All it takes is one bite.
- Dogs: Heartworm disease can be treated, but the process is lengthy, difficult, and hard on your dog’s body. In some cases, it can still be fatal.
- Cats: There is no cure for cats. Even a single heartworm can cause severe illness or be fatal.
Protecting your pet with year-round prevention is safer, easier, and more affordable than treatment.
- Fleas & Ticks are active in wooded areas, yards, and community parks on Staten Island and the surrounding areas. These parasites can spread Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, anaplasma, and more.
- Intestinal Parasites like roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms are common in both indoor and outdoor pets. These parasites can even spread to people. Risks come from soil, parks, and shared spaces where other animals may have been.
- Rats and Other Wildlife in urban environments can spread leptospirosis, a serious bacterial disease. Pets are most often exposed through standing water contaminated by rodents, such as a puddle on the street, in a park, or even in your own yard. Leptospirosis can be a threat to people, as pets can spread it.
Recommended Preventive and Wellness Care for Every Life Stage of Pets
Dogs
Puppy (Birth to 12 months)
• Exams every 3 to 4 weeks until ~16 weeks old
• Core vaccines: distemper/parvo, rabies, Lepto
• Lifestyle vaccines: Bordetella & lyme & influenza
• Parasite prevention: heartworm, flea, tick
• Fecal testing & deworming
• Microchipping
Adult (1 to 6 years)
• Annual wellness exam
• Annual core vaccines + lifestyle vaccines
• Year-round parasite prevention (heartworm, flea, tick)
• Annual fecal exam & baseline bloodwork
• Dental cleaning as recommended
Senior (7 to 9 years)
Senior
(7 to 9 years)
• Wellness exams every 6 to 12 months
• Bloodwork & urinalysis for early detection
• Nutrition & weight counseling
• Arthritis/orthopedic evaluations
• Continued vaccines & parasite prevention
Geriatric (10+ years)
• Exams every 6 months
• Comprehensive senior panels (blood, urine, blood pressure, thyroid)
• Pain management for arthritis or chronic illness
• Strict year-round parasite prevention
Cats
Kitten (Birth to 12 months)
• Exams every 3 to 4 weeks until ~16 weeks old
• Core vaccines: FVRCP, rabies, FeLV
• Parasite prevention: flea, tick, heartworm
• Fecal testing & deworming
• Microchipping
Adult (1 to 6 years)
• Annual wellness exam
• Annual vaccines: rabies, FVRCP; FeLV if outdoors
• Year-round parasite prevention (flea, tick, heartworm)
• Annual fecal exam & baseline bloodwork
• Dental cleaning as recommended
Senior (7 to 9 years)
• Wellness exams every 6 to 12 months
• Bloodwork & urinalysis
• Nutrition & weight counseling
• Arthritis & mobility checks
• Continued vaccines & parasite prevention
Geriatric (10+ years)
• Exams every 6 months
• Senior health panels (blood, urine, thyroid, blood pressure)
• Pain management for arthritis or chronic illness
• Strict year-round parasite prevention
Other Services
Dental Care
Spay and Neuter Surgeries
