Why the physical exam is still really necessary: It may be easy to say that the physical exam is losing potency and popularity in a technology-focused world, but its importance for pets remains the same

摘要

When Ludwig, a 6-year-old Boxer, came in for his an-nual vaccinations and physical examination, he was showing signs of abdominal discomfort and had difficulty walking on his hindlimbs. My physical exam findings were normal except for apparent pain on abdominal palpation and unilateral cryptorchidism. Thus, I suspected that Ludwig had a retained testicle and that it could be causing a problem, though his chart gave no mention of it. In fact, the medical record identified Ludwig as neutered.