All of us want the best life possible for our dogs—long, happy, healthy lives. It is, therefore, wise to take preventative care seriously rather than waiting to take your pet to the vet until it exhibits overt symptoms of disease or harm.
Due to their ability to hide pain, dogs can save needless suffering when detected early. Furthermore, early identification of a condition usually leads to less expensive, challenging, and effective therapy than later detection. Veterinarians in Kitchener recommend establishing the practice of scheduling routine wellness examinations because of this. For more information on how often should you take your dog to the vet, contact an animal hospital in Kitchener.
How much regular is ideal for your dog to take to the vet?
- Puppy checkups
During the first few months after bringing them home, you and your dog will get to know the vet quite well.
The majority of a puppy’s veterinarian visits will be for vaccination. According to doctors, puppies that are bought often have already had their first vaccination at eight to twelve weeks of age. The related paperwork provided by the breeder or rescue shelter must be provided to your veterinarian. After that, the puppies receive further booster shots—typically two—every between three and four weeks until they are between 16 and 20 weeks old.
- Adult dog checkups
Typically, when your puppy gets older, you will not have to visit the vet as often. Usually, adult dogs only require rabies and DHPP vaccinations every three to five years. The timing varies depending on the vaccination types, where you live, and whether or not they receive a titer test, which measures the amount of antibodies from previous vaccination to see whether or not it is still producing sufficient amounts of immunity.
Scheduling an annual vet exam is still a smart idea, even if your dog does not need vaccinations on a regular basis. It is a great opportunity for the veterinarian to check for abnormalities you might not be aware of.
What is an annual vet exam?
During annual wellness checkups, your dog’s vet will carry out an all-over checkup. They will examine their eyes, ears, heart, and lungs, listen to their heartbeat, and touch for common illnesses like fleas. They will also update any required vaccines. After the examination, the veterinarian might provide advice on diet and dental care for your dog as well as activities and medications tailored to your dog’s particular health. You will eventually have a comprehensive file on your pet’s medical history.
Your veterinarian might recommend specific tests to help with a more precise diagnosis based on the initial exam. These are just a few of those common exams.
- Fecal exams: The existence of parasite eggs in your dog’s feces will be detected. This test will be carried out on pups once a month since they often have an elevated level of intestinal parasites. Ask your vet if your dog has to fast before the exam and if you need to provide a sample of their excrement or pee.
- Urinalysis: A urine test may be performed to check for bladder stones, kidney illness, diabetes, urinary tract infections, or other medical issues if your dog urinates a lot or drinks a lot of water.
- Thyroid testing: Your vet will recommend this test if your dog is older, has put on weight, or shows symptoms of thyroid disorders. Hypothyroidism can lead to serious medical issues for your dog, including heart, kidney, and eye damage, as well as high blood pressure.
- Blood test: The number of white blood cells shows immunity, whereas the amount of red blood cells shows oxygen-carrying capacity and any abnormalities. Blood tests are helpful to detect problems with other organs as well. Puppies usually undergo their first blood test on their first visit to the veterinarian.
- Parasite check: Heartworm antigen testing and other tests to detect diseases carried by ticks may be carried out on dogs older than six months.
- Abdominal ultrasound: To detect disorders related to the pancreas, liver, kidneys, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, etc.