If you're a dog owner, taking your fur-buddy to the veterinarian for regular checkups, vaccinations, and other healthcare is essential. Your veterinarian will get to know your dog, and will give recommendations for how you can best take care of them and keep them healthy. Your vet will ask about your pet’s behavior, eating, and exercise habits. They will also screen your dog’s vital stats.
There are many low-cost animal clinic options available, so don't let the cost of a visit deter you. Check with your local Humane Society and pet stores for recommendations.
How often should you go?
How often you should take your dog to the vet depends on a lot of factors, the most important being your dog's age and overall health status. A good rule of thumb is to visit once a year for a checkup, and then follow your veterinarian's recommendations for the frequency of visit from there. If you have a puppy, they will need more frequent vet visits, sometimes up to once per month even if they are healthy. Senior dogs will also need more frequent visits.
You know your dog better than anyone, and you'll likely be the first to notice if something is odd about their behavior. If you suspect that they have health problems that have not yet been identified and treated, you should take them in for an exam.
Sometimes emergencies happen.
Some situations call for a trip to the emergency vet clinic or animal hospital, such as:
Trouble breathing
Sudden paralysis - your pet can’t move all or part of their body
Seizures or unconsciousness
Nonstop vomiting for a whole day or more
Trauma, like being hit by a car or another heavy object
Bleeding from the eyes, ears, nose, or mouth
Blood in their poop
A possible broken bone
Your pet has gotten into chemicals like household cleaners, antifreeze, paint, makeup, etc.
Do you have emergency contact information for your veterinarian's office? If your vet is not available 24-7, do you have the information for a pet hospital you can take your dog to in an emergency that is? Be sure that this information is available to anyone else who spends time with your dog, including members of your household, pet-sitters and boarding kennels.
Learn more about how we respond when your dog needs veterinary care during their stay with us.
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