Regular wellness exams are essential for keeping your pet healthy and catching potential issues early. As a responsible pet owner, you likely know the value of preventative care, but you might wonder: How often should your dog or cat have a yearly exam or more frequent checkups?
The answer depends on your pet’s age, overall health, lifestyle, and life stage. Here’s everything you need to know about scheduling wellness exams and why they’re a cornerstone of preventative care.
Why Wellness Exams and Preventative Care Matter
Veterinarians recommend routine wellness exams for the same reason doctors advise annual checkups for humans: early detection of health problems leads to better outcomes, simpler treatments, and lower costs.
Preventative care during these visits often includes:
- Comprehensive, head to tail exam
- Vaccinations
- Parasite prevention
- Routine deworming
- Bloodwork and lab tests
Pets instinctively hide signs of illness, making regular wellness exams crucial for spotting subtle changes that you might miss at home. These exams also help prevent zoonotic diseases (those transmissible to humans) and allow your vet to tailor a health plan to your pet’s specific needs.
Recommended Frequency for Wellness Exams
Most veterinarians suggest at least one comprehensive wellness exam or yearly exam for adult pets. However, frequency can vary:
Puppies and Kittens
Young pets need more frequent visits for proper development and protection:
- Schedule appointments every 3 – 4 weeks until they’re about 4 months old.
- Bring a fecal sample for intestinal parasite testing and deworming
- These visits focus on core vaccinations (e.g., distemper-parvo, rabies, and bordetella for puppies)
- For kittens, wellness visits include testing and vaccination for feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus, and other common threats.
- Your vet will monitor growth, nutrition, and early signs of health issues.
Adult Pets (1+ Years Old)
Once your pet reaches adulthood (around 1 year):
- Wellness exams are recommended twice yearly (every 6 months)
- More frequent monitoring helps catch age–related early and adjust preventative care accordingly
The Bottom Line on Preventative Care
A minimum of one yearly exam is vital for monitoring your pet’s health, growth, and well-being. However, your veterinarian may recommend more frequent wellness exams based on age, breed, existing conditions, or lifestyle factors.
Investing in regular preventative care through wellness exams can extend your pet’s life, improve their quality of life, and save you money on advanced treatments down the road.
Ready to schedule your pet’s next wellness exam? You could can schedule online via our booking portal, or contact our veterinary clinic in Lewisville, Texas, today at (972) 353-9672 to book an appointment and keep your furry friend in top health!
