We all want to take care of our pet the best we possibly can. The veterinarian isn't just for sick pets! Pet owners often question how often their pet should be visiting the vet. This depends heavily on their age and current health status. We’ve outlined an easy to follow timeline below with some general guidelines to help you.
1. Birth → 1 year:
-Dogs: For the first year of your puppy’s life you’ll need to take him or her in for vaccines such as rabies or distemper-parvo, every 3 or 4 weeks until the 16 month mark. At 6 months old your pet should be brought to the vet to be neutered.
-Cats: Take your kitten to the vet once you first adopt them. (8-12 weeks) for a general check up. After this appointment the vet will lay out specific visits for your kitten including getting tested for feline leukemia and immunodeficiency virus, as well as vaccinations.Your vet can also arrange for your cat to get spayed or neutered starting at 8 weeks.
2. Age 1 → 7: Your pet should get yearly checkups. Blood will be drawn and your dog will be tested for heartworm. If the vet notices anything suspicious, further testing could be done.
-Every 3 years your pet will get booster shots for rabies and distemper-parvo. Other vaccines such as kennel cough prevention or feline leukemia shots could be given as well.
3. Age 7→ 10: Older pets should go to the vet twice a year. Blood and urine tests can tell a lot about your pet’s kidney and liver health, as well as important hormones such as thyroid levels. It is important to take elderly pets for regular checkups to catch anything suspicious early and keep them living their best life.
Staying on top of your pets health is an important part of making sure they have tons of tail-wagging days ahead of them. If you notice any irregular symptoms in your pet or think they might be sick, seek the help of a vet immediately. Here are some great online vet resources: