Routine veterinary checkups are a vital component in maintaining the overall health of your dog at all stages of its life. Even if a dog is showing normal activity and appetite with no apparent evidence of sickness, regular veterinary evaluations can detect underlying health issues prior to them becoming a problem.
Regular veterinary visits depend upon several factors such as age, breed, lifestyle and pre-existing medical conditions. Puppies will typically have more frequent appointments than adult dogs who appear to be healthy. More frequent veterinary exams for senior dogs are also common since many age related diseases develop slowly over time.
How Often Should Dogs Have Veterinary Check-Ups?
Puppies
Puppies need multiple vet visits in their first few months of life. Their immune systems are still maturing and they will benefit from an organised preventive health program.
The initial vet checkups typically start at 6-8 weeks of age. Then subsequent follow-ups with the vet typically take place every 3-4 weeks until the pup is approximately 16 weeks old, or as determined by the specific vaccine schedule for that area and the needs of that particular puppy.
These vet visits give the veterinarian a chance to evaluate how well the puppy is growing and developing, provide core vaccinations, review parasite control, evaluate overall health and offer owners suggestions regarding diet, dental care, behavior and socialization.
Healthy Adult Dogs
Many healthy adults will need to have their dogs examined by a veterinarian at least one time per year. The Annual exam is a good way for your veterinarian to evaluate your dog’s body weight, dental health, skin and coat condition, heart and lung function, mobility and general physical condition.
An Annual appointment with your veterinarian also gives you both an opportunity to discuss vaccination needs, parasite prevention and lifestyle-related risks to your dog’s health. Based on your dog’s age, medical history and risk factors, your veterinarian may suggest additional blood tests or other screening procedures in addition to a routine examination.
Some conditions that develop without early symptoms can be identified during Annual exams. Therefore, even if your adult dog appears perfectly healthy, it is important for you and your veterinarian to identify any changes before noticeable illness develops.
Senior Dogs
As dogs grow older they have an increased chance for developing chronic health issues. There are many different types of health issues that are more prevalent in aging animals. The most commonly reported ones are arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
While it is true that a typical annual examination is recommended for all pets, many senior pets will require a visit to their veterinarian every six months. This allows the veterinarian to track age related development as well as assess the pet’s ability to ambulate and evaluate any existing medical conditions.
In addition to these exams, routine screening often includes blood work, urinalysis, blood pressure monitoring, or other diagnostic testing based on the individual pet’s physical status. Identifying age related diseases early on will assist in maintaining your pet’s comfort level and improving its quality of life.
Generally speaking the definition of what constitutes a “senior” animal varies depending on whether you’re referring to small or large breeds. In general larger breeds tend to age quicker than smaller breeds. Therefore their senior care requirements may be met sooner.
What Happens During a Routine Veterinary Examination?
A regular veterinary visit is much more than just checking if your dog has developed some kind of illness. The purpose of the visit is to provide you with an overview of how well your dog is doing, as well as detect any potential problems that could develop at some time in the future but have not yet caused any obvious symptoms.
When examining your pet, the veterinarian will typically inquire about your pet’s medical history, dietary habits and exercise patterns. In addition, during the physical exam, the veterinarian will examine all of the normal areas of a dog’s anatomy such as the eyes, ears, mouth, teeth, skin, coat, lymph nodes, heart, lungs, abdominal organs and joints.
Depending upon your dog’s age and the potential health risks for your dog, the veterinarian may recommend that additional testing be performed.
Vaccinations and Parasite Prevention
Core vaccinations are a significant preventative care for dogs. The core vaccines are designed to provide protection against several common and serious infectious diseases in dogs including parvovirus, distemper, and infectious canine hepatitis.
Following completion of the initial puppy vaccination series, booster shots will be administered according to the specific requirements of each type of vaccine as well as your veterinarian’s guidelines.
Depending upon where you live with your pet, how much time your pet spends outdoors and travel with your pet, additional vaccinations that may be considered include Kennel Cough Vaccine or Leptospirosis.
Parasite control is also very important as the number of parasites that can affect a dog varies significantly based on the geographic area in which you live and the amount of time your dog spends outdoors.
Dental Health and Weight Management
Dogs are prone to a number of dental issues that often don’t show noticeable symptoms until they reach an advanced stage. The gradual buildup of plaque and tartar on teeth can cause gum swelling, periodontitis and ultimately result in lost teeth if left unattended.
Your veterinarian will typically check for oral health during each visit with your dog, and make recommendations as needed regarding a professional dental cleaning. In addition, brushing your dog’s teeth regularly using dog specific toothpaste, helps to remove plaque from their teeth and slow the onset of these conditions.
Additionally, maintaining your dog’s ideal body weight is also a part of overall routine care. Obesity in dogs puts them at higher risks for developing joint issues, diabetes and many other potential health related issues.
As such, your veterinarian can evaluate your dog’s current body condition and provide you with the best advice for portion sizes and activity levels to achieve their optimal body weight.
When Should You Take Your Dog to the Vet Between Routine Visits?
Although annual or six monthly check-ups are scheduled for you to have regular examinations on your dogs, this does not mean that you should wait until the time of the next visit if there is something abnormal occurring with your dog. Any change to your dog’s health or behavior can be cause for early evaluation at a veterinarian.
Schedule an early examination with a veterinarian if you observe persistent vomiting or diarrhea, changes in your dog’s appetite or water consumption, unexplained weight loss, excessive scratching, coughing, limping or extreme lethargy.
There are some signs that will require immediate care from a veterinarian, which include: difficulty breathing, collapsing, repeated seizures, heavy blood flow, possible ingestion of toxic substances, swelling of the abdomen or vomiting without producing anything.
Final Thoughts
The correct frequency for your dog’s veterinary check-ups will depend upon factors such as your dog’s age, its current health status, its breed, and how it spends its time. Puppies require a number of vet visits while they are developing to be sure that all is going well with them. Healthy adult dogs typically visit the vet annually. Senior dogs should have vet appointments every six months.
Regular veterinary care, vaccination for preventable diseases, the use of preventative measures against parasites and routine examination of your dog’s teeth may lead to the identification of potential or actual disease at an earlier stage than if these things were not done regularly.
In addition, having knowledge of what is involved in providing preventative health care for dogs and being able to identify when your dog appears to be ill, can assist you in making better choices regarding your pet’s health.
