The Importance of Regular Check-ups for Your Pet

Pet parenting comes with as many responsibilities as actual human parenting does. While you might be taking the best care of your dog, giving sufficient exercise and a good diet, regular vet check-ups are essential to ensure that your pet is really doing okay.

If you feel that your pet is completely healthy and needs no vet check-ups, you need to come out of your bubble. Stay with us till the end to know why regular check-ups are essential and why you shouldn’t miss them.

Why Regular Check-ups?

Let’s be honest, a professional doctor can see what you can’t. If you miss regular check-ups for your pet, it can lead to the possibility of numerous problems rooting inside your pet without your knowledge. Here are a few things regular vet check-ups can help you and your pet with.

• Regular Cleansing of Glands:

  Your dog may suffer with fishy odor, swollen & red anus, bloody stool, and even anal sac diseases if their anal glands are not cleaned on time. While most dogs require timely anal gland cleansing, they might need extra attention if they suffer from skin problems, allergies, or obesity. Going for regular check-ups will help you keep your dog clean and comfortable, track their anal secretion, and any other budding problems.

• Ticks, Fleas, & Worm Control:

  While you can identify ticks, fleas, & worms in your dog’s body, it’s common for them to go unnoticed when they grow in your pet. The growth of these creatures can cause serious problems like liver damage, blood-borne diseases, diarrhoea, and more. With regular check-ups, you don’t have to worry about such issues and if anything is found, quick control can help prevent the development of serious health problems and improve your pet's overall quality of life.

• Behavioral Treatments:

  Mental health of pets is important just like ours. Mental health of pets tends to degrade as they age, and symptoms of anxiety, and depression in dogs are often unnoticeable and they come to light when they’re at their peak. However, you can avoid the growth of such behavioral problems with regular check-ups. A vet can identify such problems and suggest exercises and ways to take care of their happiness and comfort.

• Dental Care:

  Oral health of dogs is as important as any other health aspect. Ignoring this may lead to various painful and perilous diseases in your pet like periodontitis, and gingivitis. Dog Teeth scaling is important to remove plaque and tartar and is recommended once a year for most breeds. A vet would be able to guide you on the right dental care for your pet to avoid any future problems.

• Skin & Body Conditioning:

  Common issues like the body being underweight or overweight, excessive or significantly less shedding of fur, dry skin, or fungal infections have the potential to evolve into bigger problems in dogs. Preventive care is an essential component of pet healthcare. Regular check-ups can help identify any potential health risks that your pet may be exposed to, and preventive measures can be taken to keep them healthy.

When is the Right Time?

Regular check-ups are the most effective only when done in the right intervals.

For pups under 16 weeks of age, a vet visit is required every 3-4 weeks for vaccination and routine check-up. The next vaccine (DA2PP booster and rabies) is scheduled at the age of 1 year. Between the period of 16 weeks and 1 year, a vet visit is recommended for a regular health checkup. For dogs older than a year, one annual check-up is considered okay. In senior dogs, the frequency might increase based on their health conditions. While this is the common preference, every dog is different and the frequency of regular check-ups depends on your dog’s individual health and body status.

Schedule your appointment today!

It’s never too late for your pet’s vet appointment. If you have missed your pet’s regular check-up, no worries at all. With us at Kuddle, you can book an appointment with our vet anytime. You can schedule a vet visit or video vet consultation in just a few clicks. For your common pet-related concerns, you can join our in-app community- Kuddle Social today and connect with professional vets and other pet parents just like you, and make your journey of pet parenting easy & pawfect!