How Often Should I Take My Dog to the Vet? (2024 Guide)
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Like you, dogs need regular medical checkups to treat potential health issues. Regular visits to the veterinarian let you ask questions about your dog’s health and allow the vet a chance to spot health problems before they escalate. Plus, vets will keep your dog up to date on vaccines and make the pet more comfortable with visiting.
In this article, we’ll explore how often you should take your dog to the vet, what these appointments should cover, and how pet insurance handles vet visits.
How Often To Take Your Dog to the Vet
Like humans, healthy, adult dogs need to go to the vet for a checkup once per year according to WebMD. Your vet will conduct a head-to-tail physical exam, perform routine lab work, track development, update vaccines, and walk you through your pet’s needs.
Senior dogs should get checkups more regularly. When your pet is 7 or older, veterinarians recommend a checkup every six months to look for age- and breed-related issues. Your vet will do more frequent blood and urine tests to check your dog’s kidney and liver health, thyroid hormone levels, and other health indicators.
If your dog is exhibiting concerning symptoms like refusing to drink or eat, lethargy, consistently soft stool, or frequent vomiting, call your vet to make an appointment. If you see blood in stool or vomit, it’s a sign of an emergency.
How Often To Take Your Puppy to the Vet
Puppies need more care than adult dogs. Pet experts recommend monthly vet visits for puppies until they reach 16 weeks. As with human children, puppies need to be regularly examined to make sure they’re developing properly, reaching expected health milestones, and getting vaccine shots to prevent common diseases.
Vaccines are one of the most critical health needs in your puppy’s first year of life. Your vet will discuss a vaccination schedule at your first appointment. After your puppy’s vaccination schedule is complete, you won’t need to return to the vet until it’s time to discuss spaying and neutering when your pet is 6 months old. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) recommends spaying and neutering at 6 months to help control breeding and pet homelessness, but this procedure isn’t required.
Once your puppy has had vaccinations and its spaying or neutering procedure, you won’t need to bring it back to the vet until it’s 1 year old. From there, follow an annual checkup cadence.
When To Get Your Dog Vaccinated
Puppies are typically vaccinated following this schedule:
- 6–8 weeks: First DHLPPC shot (combined vaccine for distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza, parvo, and coronavirus)
- 10–12 weeks: Second DHLPPC shot
- 12–24 weeks: Rabies shot
- 14–16 weeks: Third DHLPPC shot
If your dog didn’t receive vaccinations as a puppy, you can still have them administered. Your vet can establish a cadence based on your dog’s age. This will likely be shorter than a puppy’s vaccination schedule, which is designed to accommodate its developing immune system. Some vaccines require boosters as your dog ages, which your vet will discuss with you at the dog’s annual checkups.
What Does the Vet Check During an Annual Visit?
Your veterinarian will ask if you’ve observed strange behavior in your dog or any signs of health issues. They’ll do a full physical examination that includes assessing vision, hearing, reflexes, lymph nodes, the heart, and the lungs. Many vets will look at dental health and note any tooth decay or degradation.
The vet will determine if your pet is developing properly, administer needed booster vaccines, and get a fecal sample to check for intestinal parasites. They’ll perform blood work at each appointment to identify abnormalities. Urinalysis testing is important for older dogs to check for urinary tract infections, kidney disease, and kidney stones.
An annual visit is a good time to ask questions and describe any behavior you find odd in your dog. How often you should bring your dog to the vet, though, depends on their symptoms.
When To Take Your Dog to the Vet for an Emergency
No one knows your dog more than you. If you see changing behavior, a growth, a limp, or any other indicator of a health issue, immediately make a vet appointment to get it checked out. The sooner your vet can evaluate the issue, the sooner your dog will receive treatment.
If you see any of the following, contact your vet immediately:
- Bloody stools
- Difficulty waking up
- Disorientation
- Labored breathing
- Limping
- Pale gums
- Seizures
- Sudden collapse or inability to stand
- Sudden drop or rise in body temperature
- Swollen or hard abdomen
- Vomiting blood
- Vomiting or diarrhea for more than 12 hours
- Weak or fast pulse
- Whining, shaking, or refusing to socialize (signs of pain)
Serious accidents, like your pet being hit by a car or swallowing a toxic substance, should be addressed immediately. If you aren’t sure whether it’s an emergency, many pet insurance providers have a 24/7 vet telehealth number you can call to ask questions.
What Is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance helps cover the cost of maintaining your dog’s health. Most providers offer a base plan that includes coverage for issues related to accidents and illnesses such as broken bones, lacerations, diseases, and hereditary conditions. Some providers have add-ons that can be combined with your base plan to cover preventive care, lost dog reward money, boarding fees, and burial fees. Pet owners should invest in pet insurance, and the expense shouldn’t impact how often you take your dog to the vet.
Here are some common terms to familiarize yourself with when researching pet insurance:
- Accident-only coverage: Some companies provide accident-only coverage, which doesn’t take care of illnesses.
- Annual coverage limits: This is the maximum amount your provider will reimburse you for in a year.
- Preventive care add-ons: These add-ons allow you to be reimbursed for routine care expenses such as wellness checkups and vaccinations.
- Waiting periods: Most providers require a period between policy activation and filing a claim. This typically ranges from 15–30 days. For some providers, it’s only a day or two.
- Preexisting conditions: No provider covers preexisting conditions, which are issues that your pet showed symptoms of or received care for before enrolling in a policy.
If you need help finding the right provider, check out our list of the best pet insurance companies.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Vet Visits?
Most pet insurance plans don’t cover routine wellness visits in their base accident-and-illness plans. Pet insurance is meant to offset unexpected pet health expenses instead of preventive care. Routine care such as annual checkups are usually covered by wellness plans that can be combined with your base plan for an additional fee.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?
Several factors cause monthly pet insurance costs to vary widely, such as your dog’s breed, age, and location. Older dogs cost more to insure since they’re more likely to get sick. Certain breeds are pricier to insure because they’re predisposed to hereditary conditions. Rates also differ from state to state.
The cost of a base accident-and-illness plan can range from $10–$100 per month, but you can expect to pay between $30 and $50 for your dog’s plan. Add-ons typically range from $10–$25 per month on top of your base plan premium. What you pay shouldn’t impact how often you take your dog to the vet.
Our Conclusion
How often you should take your dog to the vet depends on its age and symptoms. That said, annual checkups can improve your dog’s quality of life. Monthly checkups for puppies and yearly visits for adult dogs allow your vet to catch issues before they become serious and expensive. With regular vet visits, you can make sure that your dog is developing and getting the shots it needs to stay healthy.
Depending on the examination’s thoroughness, the vaccines administered, the lab work done, and any other vet protocols, a vet visit can cost anywhere from $50–$300. If you’re not comfortable spending that amount, a pet insurance plan that covers wellness costs can help you save. Most providers offer add-ons that reimburse between 70% and 100% of your preventive vet visits, depending on policy terms. A pet insurance plan can help your wallet while keeping your pet healthy.
FAQ About Taking Your Dog to the Vet
Do dogs need shots every year?
Yes, dogs need shots every year. Puppies receive core vaccines at certain week-based milestones in the first year of life. Adult dogs need annual boosters of vaccines determined by your vet.
How much do annual vet visits cost?
A basic annual vet visit costs around $50. If your dog has a more thorough examination and lab work done, a vet visit may cost a few hundred dollars.
What treatments do dogs need regularly?
Dogs need regular wellness checkups, dental cleanings, parasite prevention treatments, booster updates, grooming, and any other treatments your vet deems important based on your pet’s breed and age.
How often do dogs need their teeth cleaned?
Dogs need their teeth cleaned once a year, per most vet recommendations. If your pet has a dental-related health condition or hereditary dental needs, your vet may recommend more regular dental checkups.
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