The Importance of Routine Pet Checkups

<img src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/DCR-ADMIN/Article_Webp/AdobeStock_113971428.webp" alt="undefined" style="height: ;width: "/> Originally written by Dr. Howard Schutzman of Antioch Veterinary Hospital Many pet owners take an “as needed” approach to veterinary visits, but just like with human checkups, this can have negative consequences. A better plan is to bring in your pet for regularly scheduled checkups.  Ongoing exams are important because pets often don’t exhibit outward signs of illness or injury. Not only that, your own observations can be misleading, as what you perceive to be a particular symptom may be something else entirely. For example, if your old dog has trouble climbing stairs, you might assume he has arthritis, but it actually may be a sign of heart disease. If you find a small growth on your pet, you might not think it’s a big deal, but it could be life-threatening melanoma. Even a young puppy or kitten can have a birth defect such as a cleft palette or heart murmur that can only be detected by a professional. By taking a proactive approach, your veterinarian will be able to catch issues early rather than in their advanced stages.  So, how often should you bring your pet to the vet? It depends on its age—for younger animals, an annual checkup will suffice, but older pets should come in every six months. Keep in mind that what constitutes “older” varies by breed: for cats and smaller dogs, this will be in the early teen years, whereas a large breed dog is considered older by age eight. <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/" target="_self">Use Diamond Certified Resource to find top rated companies.</a> Local, Top Rated Diamond Certified Companies Related to Your Topic <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/sonoma-pet-boarding/" target="_self">Sonoma County Pet Boarding Companies</a> Related Articles <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/Guide/Pet-Services/" target="_self">The Essential Guide to Pet Services</a> <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/find-expert-advice/" target="_self">Get Expert Advice From Owners of Top</a> <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/find-expert-advice/" target="_self">Rated Local Companies</a> <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/membership/" target="_self">Become a Diamond Certified Preferred Member (Always Free)</a>