How Often Should I Take My Dog To The Vet? (A Full Guide )

Appointments with the veterinarian are essential for monitoring a dog's general health. Whether in the case of an illness or to carry out a routine check, the animal must be taken regularly for consultation. If you are wondering how often I should take my dog to the vet, you will find answers to this and many related questions. Let's start.

The First Consultation With The Veterinarian: An Essential Step

It is imperative to take your dog for a first consultation with the veterinarian soon after his adoption. This first visit allows you to complete a health check while taking stock of the essential care and preventive treatments. It is also an opportunity to seek expert advice from a specialist on the dog's diet, his education, and the obligations of the guardian. Several essential points must be addressed, namely:

The vaccination schedule best suited to the dog and his lifestyle;

The identification of the animal by electronic chip if it is not yet identified;

Flea and pest control treatments;

Sterilization;

The necessary documents (health record, identification certificate, passport, etc.).

How Often Should I Take My Dog To The Vet?

Let's answer the question of how often I should take my dog to the vet; to help your companion stay healthy and fit, it is advisable to consult the veterinarian regularly, especially when your dog gets older! An adult dog should be taken to the vet twice a year.

Sometimes, the veterinary visit is classic – for a vaccine or a deworming, for example – sometimes, it will be necessary to consult quickly if your dog has behavioral problems or for any other anomaly. Is it time to make an appointment for your dog? 

To help him defend himself against diseases, worms, or parasites, you must regularly take your faithful companion to the veterinarian.

To protect a dog from diseases, parasites, and worms, it is imperative to take him regularly to the veterinarian to have him vaccinated and dewormed. It is best to vaccinate your dog against certain potentially fatal diseases from his two months:

Vaccinate the puppy at eight weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks to protect him against distemper, parvovirus, Rubarth's hepatitis, and kennel cough;

Vaccinate the puppy at eight weeks and 12 weeks to immunize him against leptospirosis;

Vaccinate the puppy from the age of 12 weeks to protect it from rabies disease;

Vaccinate the dog against piroplasmosis and Lyme disease at six months.

Depending on the animal's breed, environment, and needs, the veterinarian prescribes the necessary vaccines to protect him well. Generally, a routine consultation is recommended at eight weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks of age. It is then necessary to take him to the veterinarian at six months to assess his growth and discuss possible sterilization. An annual preventive consultation is also required to make a health check and recall each vaccine.

Deworming, for its part, begins at the age of 2 months and then is done every month until the age of 8 months. It must then be carried out at least once a year.

The owner must also make an appointment with the veterinarian immediately if he notices certain disorders in the behavior of his pet:

Vomiting;

Loss of appetite ;

Abnormal weight gain;

Diarrhea ;

Constipation ;

Bump or sore;

Abnormal discharge from the eyes and nostrils;

 

Dog Vaccination

It is necessary to vaccinate your pet for diseases such as hepatitis, parvovirus, rabies, leptospirosis, or distemper.

From the age of 2 months, vaccination begins. As he grows up, booster shots will be necessary to reinforce his vaccines' effectiveness. Your veterinarian will tell you their frequency. 

The Deworming Of The Dog

Dog worms are parasites that increase in their body. They are mainly present in his intestine but are also found in other organs, such as the heart. These parasites can be transmitted to humans. The dog's immune defenses are greatly reduced when they are present in too large quantities.

To deworm your dog, regular visits to the veterinarian are essential! Your specialist deworms your animal and gives you the right advice to fight against these internal parasites. 

Best Products for Dogs

External Parasites İn Dogs

Fleas, ticks, lice, ringworm, scabies, and external parasites lodge in your pet's coat. They can cause itching and even infestations (the parasite enters the body).

By directing you towards the best practices or the right products, your veterinarian helps your animal to fight against these external attacks.

Emergency Veterinary Consultations: What Are The Signs Of Taking Into Account?

In addition to routine visits that allow your pet to be protected against diseases, worms, or external parasites, it is sometimes necessary to quickly make an appointment with the veterinarian. Observe your pet daily: this is the best way to protect it! In addition, certain behavioral disorders can be considered alerts and trigger a visit to the veterinarian.

His way of eating changes. You haven't introduced any changes to his diet, and your dog has lost his appetite? On the contrary, he asks for his bowl more often. Beyond 24 hours, if the behavior persists, it is time to make an appointment.

He vomits. Do not panic! It may be poorly digested kibble. On the other hand, if the vomiting persists, it is essential to consult the veterinarian. In addition, if you find blood in your dog's vomit: consult urgently!

Diarrhea, constipation, or urination. Observing your dog is a must! If, on several occasions, you detect loose stools or symptoms of constipation, it is best to consult quickly. Attention! Emergency consultation is required if you notice blood in your dog's stool or urine.

Does your animal look unusually dejected? He no longer moves, and his appetite decreases. If this behavior persists, you should consult the veterinarian.

Abnormal discharge from the eyes or nostrils. Again, it is advisable to make an appointment, especially if these flows do not decrease over time. Does your dog have trouble breathing or opening his eyes? You can consult urgently.

Your dog is scratching. Don't worry; scratching is completely normal in dogs. On the other hand, if he scratches abnormally and this causes skin lesions, even infections: make an appointment with your veterinarian quickly.

A bump? A wound? Redouble your vigilance! If the problem persists, the bump seems to be changing, or the wound becomes infected: consult your veterinarian as soon as possible.

The earlier the problem is treated, the better the chances of recovery for your pet! If in doubt, especially in young puppies, it is best to get to your veterinarian quickly.

Puppy's First Visit To The Vet

Do not panic!

After a few days of getting used to it at home, it's finally time to introduce your new little puppy to your veterinarian. He will be able to identify any infections or parasitic infestations in the blink of an eye and offer you the appropriate treatment.

Tips For The First Visit To The Veterinarian

The first visit to the veterinarian is always stressful, especially since this first contact will play a decisive role in how your puppy will approach future visits. Make an appointment, so your little puppy does not stay too long in the waiting room. Bring treats and reward him generously. Your puppy will associate the visit to the vet with something positive: a reward.

Deworming The Dog: A Regular Treatment

All female dogs transmit Lascaris (small worms that colonize the intestines of dogs) to their young: your puppy should generally have been dewormed and received his first vaccines from the breeder. Thanks to these measures, the puppy begins to develop antibodies against worms in the first weeks after birth. As a general rule, the breeder vermifuges his puppies from the 2nd week, then every 15 days until three months. Deworming must then be performed two to four times a year: worms weaken the dog's immune system, and his body is more vulnerable to possible infections.

Important Vaccinations For Puppies

Like humans, dogs should be vaccinated against the most common and potentially deadly diseases. Maternal milk antibodies protect the puppy until the 6th week, then this protection gradually decreases. Therefore, the 10th week is an excellent time to make your first visit to the veterinarian in order to perform the first vaccines: the veterinarian administers an anti-rabies vaccine (monovalent) to the puppy, to be renewed the following month.

Take advantage of this reminder to carry out the “compulsory vaccinations” for your dog at the same time, namely:

Rabies (Vaccine Required By Law)

Parvovirus (Feline This, Transmissible To Dogs)

Leptospirosis (Stuttgart's Disease)

Distemper

Hepatitis (Contagious Hepatitis)

The booster is given four weeks later for parvovirus, leptospirosis, distemper, and hepatitis. The protection of the first three vaccines mentioned above lasts for one year. For distemper and hepatitis, the booster is done every two years. If your puppy is in regular contact with other dogs, vaccinating him against kennel cough (a type of whooping cough) is also advisable. The good news, this vaccine is already included in the combined vaccines! Just ask your vet.

We hope this article has been enough to answer the question of how often I should take my dog to the vet.