Puppies should be seen for preventative care around four times between the ages of 8 to 16 weeks. After that, they should be seen once or twice more during their first year. Adult dogs should be seen at least once a year for preventative care. Senior dogs, aged 6 to 8 and older, should be seen twice a year for check-ups to catch any potential health concerns early on.

Preventative care helps your dog by keeping them healthy and reducing the risk of diseases and infections. Just like in humans, preventative care can extend your dog's life and contribute to their overall well-being.

Dog preventative care refers to any measures taken to prevent diseases and infections in your dog. These measures aim to keep your dog healthy for as long as possible, potentially extending their life by several years.

Baseline diagnostic tests include heartworm tests and fecal tests to check for intestinal parasites and heartworms. The physical exam helps detect external parasites like fleas and ticks. Ideally, blood work and urine tests should also be included as baseline tests to ensure your dog is healthy from the beginning. Identifying any congenital issues or health concerns early on can improve your dog's quality of life and overall well-being.

The purpose of a wellness exam is to ensure your dog is as healthy as possible. If the veterinarian notices any abnormalities or concerns during the exam, they will make recommendations for future appointments and treatments to keep your dog healthy.

A dog wellness exam typically takes around 30 minutes. This time is divided between the technician taking the dog's basic history, the veterinarian performing the examination, and discussing any test results. Some test results, like blood work, may take a day or two to come back and may be discussed at a later time.

No, wellness exams for dogs are not optional. Establishing a relationship with a veterinarian requires having a wellness exam on file. While veterinarians may still see your dog in case of an emergency, regular wellness exams are essential for monitoring your dog's health over time.

When taking your dog to a wellness exam, make sure to bring their vaccine records, any recent heartworm or fecal test results, and any blood work or urinary test results, if available. This helps the veterinarian have a complete picture of your dog's health history.

During a dog wellness exam, a veterinarian performs a head-to-tail examination. They check the dog's eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, skin, heart, lungs, and belly. They also feel for the lymph nodes and look for any signs of joint pain or other abnormalities.

First, have your pet tested for parasites at least once a year if they are an adult, or more frequently if they are a puppy. Secondly, keep your pet on preventive treatments to avoid infections in the first place. Maintain a clean environment by picking up feces and administering preventive treatments regularly. This will help reduce the risk of parasites in your pet's environment.