Exams are important to veterinarians for a number of reasons. Even before touching the animal, vets are already evaluating your pet. How is it standing? Is it alert? Is it reacting to noise and movement normally? Is the breathing even? While it may look like the vet is just petting your animal, they have usually already started the exam. Petting is a good way to disguise checking for lumps and bumps and feeling for any enlarged lymph nodes or other abnormalities. It is especially important in long haired animals, as that hair can hide many things. Petting also helps calm down a nervous animal.
During the exam the veterinarian uses most of their senses to detect any abnormalities (we rarely taste anything now days).
Many diseases and disease processes are able to be picked up by the vet during exams, everything from the obvious obesity and fleas to internal problems such as liver and kidney disease- which then require further work up to verify the suspicion of disease.
This is why we recommend at least yearly exams, during that time a lot of changes can happen to your pet, they you may be completely unaware of.
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