05/11/2022
How Often Should I Take My Dog to the Vet?
We all want our dogs to live happy, healthy, and long lives. So, it pays to be proactive about preventative care.
Timely diagnosis can save unnecessary suffering and preventive treatment is often less costly and complex and more effective than if you discover a problem further down the line. That’s why vets recommend getting into the habit of scheduling regular wellness exams.
How often you take your dog to the vet depends on their age, breed, lifestyle, and overall health, but there are some guidelines you can follow for most dogs.
Puppy Checkups
You and your pup will get to know the vet pretty well in the first few months of bringing them home.
The AKC, recommends that a veterinarian should evaluate every newly acquired puppy. He explains that your vet might ask for a stool specimen to rule out parasites, and they will listen to the heart and lungs and check the eyes, teeth, and ears.
Vaccines for puppies will make up most of their vet visits. Your vet will need to see the corresponding paperwork from the breeder or rescue shelter, and Dr. Klein explains that the puppies then receive further top-up vaccines (usually two) every three to four weeks until they’re about 16 to 20 weeks of age.
The standard DHPP (or DAPP) core vaccine and its boosters protect against the following five unique contagious illnesses:
Distemper
Hepatitis
Kennel Cough
Parvovirus
Parainfluenza
“By law in North America, a puppy also has to receive the rabies inoculation,” The exact timings of this shot vary by state, but it’s typically when they are around four months old.
During these visits, your vet will monitor how your puppy is growing, you should discuss their diet, dental health, and flea and tick preventatives, and address any other concerns you might have. You’ll also likely chat about the option of spaying or neutering your dog when they’re between six and 18 months old.
Depending on your location and lifestyle, your vet may recommend administering other non-core vaccines during this time as well. These might include shots for leptospirosis and Lyme disease. However, studies show that the efficacy of the Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme) vaccine is highly variable with ticks and Lyme disease.
These regular trips to the vet are an excellent opportunity to help build positive associations with the clinic and its staff. To make your puppy’s first vet visit a success, come armed with lots of treats, take things slow, and research for clinics that incorporates fear-free practices into their exams.
Adult Dog Checkups
Once your puppy matures, typically, you won’t need to make a trip to the veterinarian as often. Adult dogs typically only need DHPP and rabies vaccines every one to three years. Timings vary depending on where you live, the vaccine types, and whether they get a titer test, which checks the number of antibodies of a previous vaccine to see that it’s still providing appropriate levels of immunity.
However, even if your dog doesn’t need regular shots, arranging an annual wellness check is still wise. it’s a good opportunity for the vet to examine changes you might not be familiar with.
Among other things, as part of the annual head-to-tail physical, your vet will monitor weight changes, check your dog’s teeth, gums, eyes, and ears, look out for unusual growths, and listen to the heart and lungs. They might also run some blood work and request a stool sample ahead of time.
Senior Dog Checkups
As your dog ages, just like humans, they’re prone to more health problems. That’s why biannual wellness checks are beneficial for senior dogs. When your dog hits this marker, depends on their breed type, size, and overall lifestyle but it’s typically considered to start earlier the larger your dog is.
Don’t Just Stick to the Schedule
Even if your dog doesn’t have an obvious illness or injury, if you notice small changes that spark concern, don’t hold off until your next annual wellness check. The signs of chronic pain can be subtle, and if you notice your dog isn’t as bright as usual, isn’t eating as much, drinking more than normal, or just not acting like they usually do, don’t be afraid to make an appointment with your vet.
“It’s important to be on top of things, not go just by a strict schedule.”
from AKC