How Often Should I Take My Dog To The Vet?

Healthy adult dogs should generally visit a veterinary clinic about once a year for checkups, vaccinations and other preventative care. Because dogs age faster than humans, annual appointments are vital to help them remain healthy and prevent diseases.

Of course, dogs with health issues may need to be monitored closely by a veterinarian, requiring more frequent appointments. Also, your dog may need additional vet visits based on risks where you live. For instance, they made need more frequent visits for Lyme disease tests if you live in an where ticks are common.

Two to three weeks old

During your puppy’s first checkup, the vet will:

• Check the puppy’s overall health
• Give the puppy dewormer medication

Six to eight weeks old

Take your puppy back to the vet to receive:

• First vaccinations
• Heartworm medications
• Flea and tick preventative treatments
• Microchip

Up to six months old

Your puppy may need additional vet appointments to get vaccinations at 12 and 16 weeks of age. The vet may also recommend bringing the pup back a few times in between vaccinations for wellness appointments.

Just like puppies and younger adult dogs, older dogs need to see a veterinarian regularly to stay healthy. Most will need certain vaccinations every year or two and should have blood and urine tests done annually to check for common canine diseases, like diabetes and thyroid disease.

Very mature dogs sometimes exhibit behaviour that indicates they need an extra vet checkup. For example, if they suddenly increase their water intake, begin peeing more, lose weight, become disoriented, startle easily or show other unusual changes, you should consider taking them to the vet. These signs could indicate the onset of diabetes, kidney disease, thyroid disease, heart disease, osteoarthritis or other illnesses.

First, you should know that it’s best to let a female dog have a couple of heat cycles before breeding them. After cycling a few times, she’ll be more physically mature and will likely be a better mother to her pups.

It’s also important to breed responsibly, taking into consideration the costs involved as well as the health of the potential mother and offspring. Breeding should not be entered into just for fun or to generate income. Talk to a veterinarian first.

When you suspect your dog is pregnant, set up a prenatal appointment. Your vet can advise you on how best to meet the nutritional needs of your pregnant dog and schedule any follow-up visits. Ultrasounds are usually done around the four-week mark, and gestation is typically around 63 days.

Since dogs can’t talk, it’s often difficult to know when to treat them yourself and when a trip to the vet is in order. Some minor emergencies can be treated at home, but if you’re unsure of what to do, you could try calling your vet for advice.

If you have pet insurance, one of your benefits might be access to a 24/7 vet hotline, and that’s another place you could turn for help.

That said, if there’s a threat of imminent death or severe injury, it might be better to transport your dog to the closest emergency vet clinic as soon as possible.

Regardless of the situation, it’s best to keep your dog, and yourself, as calm as possible. If you do take your pet to a veterinary clinic, consider muzzling them first for everyone’s safety.

Some of the emergency situations that could require a trip to the vet include:

• Vomiting or diarrhea for more than six to 12 hours
• Bloody stools
• Collapse
• Breathing difficulties
• Weak or fast pulse
• Drop or rise in body temperature
• Difficulty walking or standing
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures

If you think your dog may have been poisoned, call your veterinarian immediately or the Pet Poison Helpline (available 24/7 across North America) at (855) 764-7661.

Besides being busy and possibly not knowing which vet to choose, cost is one of the biggest reasons you might put off an appointment with the veterinarian. Having pet insurance might help alleviate your fears about discovering an expensive problem at a routine visit.

How much could you afford to spend on your pet if they had an expensive accident or illness? Would a $5,000 or $10,000 vet bill be a major financial setback? What about $2,400 a year in medication for a chronic illness? If bills like these would send you into credit card debt or prevent you from saving for retirement, you’re not alone, according to a recent U.S. Forbes Advisor survey of American dog owners.

• 31% of dog owners say they can’t afford up to $2,700 ($2,000 USD) in vet bills, even if the treatment could extend or potentially save their dog’s life.
• 65% say they can’t afford vet bills under $6,650 ($5,000 USD).

The best pet insurance can help lower your out-of-pocket costs for unexpected vet bills if your dog gets hurt or sick. Some policies even help with routine care so annual physicals and vaccinations are easier to pay for.

There are three main types of pet insurance plans. Here’s what they cover.

Accident and illness plans

Most U.S. pet owners surveyed choose accident and illness plans for their pet insurance needs. These plans cover things like surgery for intestinal obstructions when your dog eats your kid’s toys and insulin injections if your canine gets diabetes. Some include dental care.

These plans don’t cover pre-existing conditions, grooming, routine exam fees and may not cover neutering or spaying.

Accident-only plans

Accident-only plans will cover medical expenses if your dog gets bitten by a wild animal or ingests window cleaner. But they won’t cover treatment for thyroid disease or urinary tract infections. You can expect to pay less for these plans since they don’t cover illnesses.

Wellness and routine care plans

Some pet insurance companies offer wellness and/or routine care as an add-on to an accident and illness plan. Since routine care costs are predictable and not potentially catastrophic to your budget, the main benefit of wellness and routine care plans is helping you smooth out your monthly pet care expenses.

Having this coverage might also encourage you to get regular check-ups for your dog, since you’re already putting money toward them.

Pet insurance is sort of like human health insurance. It has an annual deductible, and you get reimbursed for a certain percentage of covered pet care expenses after meeting your deductible, up to the annual maximum. But some things work a little differently.

Deductible

Your pet insurance deductible is how much you’ll pay out of pocket on covered costs each year before your pet insurance covers anything. Your plan will have one of these two types of deductibles.

Annual deductible:

• You have one deductible per policy year (not calendar year).
• Annual deductibles can range from $0 to $1,000.
• The lower the deductible you choose, the higher your premiums.

Per-condition or per-incident deductible:

• You have a separate deductible for each incident or condition your pet is treated for.
• If your dog is being treated for multiple conditions, you could have multiple deductibles per policy year.

Reimbursement percentage

Once you’ve met the deductible, your pet insurance company will reimburse you for 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or even 100% of your claims (minus any copay you’re responsible for), depending on factors such as the age of your pet.

Annual maximum

Some pet insurance companies limit how much they will pay toward your pet’s covered expenses each year. Limits typically range from $5,000 to $10,000. Others may offer unlimited coverage.

Compare pet insurance quotes to see how different choices can make your monthly premiums affordable.

According to a Forbes Advisor Canada analysis of 12 Canadian pet insurance companies, the average monthly cost is about $76, based on $5,000 in annual coverage with a $100 deductible and 80% reimbursement (or the closest available option).

Related: The Best Pet Insurance in Canada

The cost of pet insurance will depend on several factors:

• Insurance company
• Location
• Annual maximum
• Deductible
• Reimbursement percentage
• Type of coverage
• Breed
• Pet age

There’s lots to consider when selecting a pet insurance plan, but when it comes to your favourite Fido, the best cheap pet insurance may be better than none at all

USD to CAD exchange rate @ 1.33592 (per xe.com) accessed January 3, 2024.