Wellness exams, vaccinations and first-year puppy and kitten care, about ten to twelve minutes from Lauderdale Lakes.
Regular checkups are the easiest way to keep small problems small, and most pets hide discomfort until a problem is well along. Oakland Park Animal Hospital provides wellness exams, vaccinations and first-year puppy and kitten care about ten to twelve minutes from Lauderdale Lakes, so a yearly visit fits easily into your routine.
We are a family-owned team that has served this part of Broward County since 1987. Every visit is scheduled with enough time for the doctor to actually examine your pet and answer your questions, not just process you through. You can read more about our wellness and vaccination services, and our Stay Well Pet Plan, described below, can make that yearly routine easier to plan for.
Physical exams and core vaccinations.
Flea, tick, and heartworm prevention.
Microchipping for lasting peace of mind.
Nutritional and behavioral consultations.
Diagnostic testing, such as bloodwork and urinalysis, when your pet’s exam calls for it.
A typical wellness visit includes the following.
At the end of the visit you will know what your pet needs next and when, so nothing is left to guesswork. If you have questions about behavior, diet or anything else you have noticed at home, bring them along.
The vaccine takes a few seconds. The exam before it is where the real medicine happens. A veterinarian listens to the heart and lungs, checks the mouth, eyes, ears, skin, joints and weight, and asks about appetite and behavior, which can reveal a heart murmur, a dental infection or early kidney or joint trouble that no owner could spot at home. A vaccine alone cannot tell us any of that.
An exam also tells us which vaccines your pet should and should not have right now. A pet that is ill, or has a health condition, may need a different plan. In Florida, rabies vaccines must be given by a licensed veterinarian, and we want to know your pet is healthy before we give any vaccine.
Core vaccines protect against serious diseases that put almost every pet at risk, so they are recommended for all dogs and cats. Non-core vaccines are added based on your pet’s lifestyle, such as boarding, dog parks, outdoor time or travel. The AAHA vaccination guidelines describe the same approach.
Florida law requires rabies vaccination for dogs, cats and ferrets (Section 828.30, Florida Statutes), and many boarding and grooming facilities ask for a current certificate. Bring any records you have, and we will tell you what is due.
The first year sets the pattern for a pet’s health. Our puppy and kitten visits cover the vaccine series, parasite prevention, nutrition and the questions new owners do not yet know to ask.
Pets age faster than people, and they hide discomfort. A yearly exam gives your veterinarian a chance to catch a heart murmur, dental infection, weight change or early kidney or joint issue before it becomes a crisis. Staying current on wellness visits and vaccinations is also the best way to avoid many of the emergencies we see.
Adult pets benefit from a consistent yearly routine, and older pets often need more frequent checkups and closer monitoring. We build senior care around changes in mobility, appetite, weight, teeth and energy, and we adjust the plan as your pet ages.
South Florida’s warm, humid weather means fleas, ticks and mosquitoes are active most of the year, so prevention is usually a year-round routine here and not a summer one. Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes, is far easier to prevent than to treat, and can be serious.
Your veterinarian will recommend a prevention plan for your pet and tell you whether a heartworm test is needed before you start. If you miss a dose, call us rather than guessing.
We believe in pricing transparency, so you know what to expect before you agree to a plan. We give you an upfront estimate before treatment, and we work with Cherry and CareCredit financing. Our Stay Well Pet Plan rolls core vaccines, lower exam fees, half-price in-house bloodwork, and discounts on extras like bathing and nail trims into one predictable annual cost.
If you have questions about cost, ask early. It helps us talk through what your pet needs now and what can be planned for later, so your pet gets the care that matters most without a surprise at checkout. Pet owners can also ask our team about Zoetis Petcare Rewards, a loyalty program in which owners earn points on eligible Zoetis products bought through their veterinary team and can put those points toward care at the clinic.
Take Oakland Park Boulevard toward I-95. The drive usually takes about ten to twelve minutes depending on traffic. Saturday hours run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., which gives working families a weekend option. Call ahead to book a time that fits your schedule.
If you are coming from another veterinarian, bring any vaccine or medical records you have, a list of medications and the name of the food your pet eats. Bring your questions too. When it comes to your pet’s health, there is no such thing as a small one.
Oakland Park Animal Hospital has served this part of Broward County since 1987, and Dr. Spencer Ratnoff and his team have cared for local families’ pets for decades. Preventive care was never meant to wait until something looks wrong, because by then treatment is often harder on your pet and heavier on your wallet than it needed to be.
If you live in Lauderdale Lakes and are ready to schedule a wellness exam, call (954) 731-4228 or request an appointment. We would be honored to welcome your pet into our family too.
Schedule a visit with our compassionate team and let’s partner in your pet’s lifelong well-being.
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