Do you take your dog/s to the Vet for a yearly check up? Questions

Discussion in 'General Dog Chat' started by who owns who, Oct 21, 2019.

  1. who owns who

    who owns who Member

    Likes Received:
    1,256
    Gender:
    Male
    Name:
    Marc

    Do you take your dog/s to the Vet for a yearly check up?

    I’m asking because both my dogs are going for a checkup next week. They both seem healthy to me, but I’m not a vet... I know Katie Mae needs to drop a few lbs, I don’t need the vet to tell me that. They both need a heartworm shot, but they could get that, and any other needed vaccinations without the checkup. It’s only about $55 for each dog, for the checkup, but with the yearly heartworm vaccination and the heartworm test the total will be $430, not a small chunk of change. After this heartworm test, as long as they get the shots on time, they won’t need further heartworm tests. In the past, with other dogs, I haven’t necessarily taken them in every year. Sometimes I felt it was unnecessary, other times it was because they’d been to the vet during the year for other things, so being as they’d been seen previously, it wasn’t needed. Just curious what others do
  2. Registered users won't see this advert. Sign up for free!

  3. Malka

    Malka Member

    Likes Received:
    7,757
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Juli
    It used to be a yearly visit to the vet but after Pereg developed epilepsy it was either three-monthly or six-monthly depending on the previous blood test results. And with Tikva she has three-monthly visits for Parkworm shots when she is weighed, given a check over, nails tipped etc.

    I gave up worrying about the cost of Pereg's treatment, cost of blood tests, medication etc because I had no choice, same with Tikki and the Parkworm shots, and Ram only charges a nominal call-out fee - probably less than the cost of a taxi to take us to the surgery and bring us home.

    Marc - what do you about rabies shots for your two? Here private vets do not give them, only Municipal and Local Authority vets give those, as they have to be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture. It is the equivalent of a dog licence.

    If - if Pereg had not been epi it would have just been a yearly check-up, and if Parkworm had not travelled down from the centre of the country needing three-monthly shots then she too would only have a yearly check-up and her normal boosters. I never missed it with my Griffons or the cat I then had, and I never missed it with Lexi and with Pereg for the first two years of her life until epi struck.
  4. Chris B

    Chris B Member

    Likes Received:
    1,645
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Chris
    Unfortunately, because I want flea treatment that is prescription only, the vet insists Rosie has an annual check up. It is free though and Rosie isn't too bothered by it so no big deal
  5. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

    Likes Received:
    4,988
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Carole
    At the ages your two are, I don't think it is necessary. My two were supposed to be on three-yearly boosters, (now the BVA/WSAVA protocol, but my vet has been doing this since 2004), until Eddie started with his second autoimmune problem in 2015. He has not had a booster since - at my vet's suggestion. Merry had her last booster at seven, she is now 10.5.
    My vet offers a free health check on the intervening years, but I have never bothered having this. Ed sees the vet every 6 months for his thyroid check, but her ladyship hasn't had any health tests since she was wetting her bed at night. Because of this I booked them both for a senior dog health check last month. All was well, and I don't think I was charged for it. I can't be 100% sure as I was collecting 2 or 3 lots of tablets, but it definitely couldn't have been a full consultation fee.
    I don't think this has helped you much. I guess I'm saying that with younger dogs I only visit the vet if I think there could have a problem.
  6. who owns who

    who owns who Member

    Likes Received:
    1,256
    Gender:
    Male
    Name:
    Marc
    @Malka, Regular veterinarians give the rabies shots here. I know Bandit had one that lasts 3 years last time, but I’m not sure about Katie Mae, although if she was due for one I’d have received an email about it. They sent we a reminder for a kennel cough booster but I’m going to pass on that, as they just aren’t around other dogs that often anymore.

    @Chris B, I guess my dogs also need a yearly vet visit for their prescription for NexGard, a monthly flea and tick chewable. I actually took them to a mobile vet for that in September, who didn’t charge, or really check my dogs, just asked if they were healthy, and gave each a prescription for a year, and the mobile vet charges less than my regular vet for the pills.

    @CaroleC, My Regular Vets office does charge anytime you need to see the him or her, but if it’s just vaccines they only charge for the shot, which is given by a tech.

    Even though I go to the mobile Vet for some things because they are cheaper, I want them to be used to going to the regular (and more expensive) Vets, in case of emergency and such. They actually love going to the regular Vets, the people at the front desk love them, and I try to take them in every few months to weigh them, and keep them used to their office.

    Also when getting a new dog from a good breeder, they often want to hear from your Vet that you take your dogs in regularly for checkups and vaccines. I suppose Bandit could be more susceptible to things, possibly weaker immune system from having Parvovirus, and just barely pulling thru. Given what that cost, spending $55 a year for a checkup is really almost nothing..

    Thanks for the responses.

    PS. Too all of you that regularly read all our posts, hows about you responding to this too....
  7. mjfromga

    mjfromga Member

    Likes Received:
    437
    Name:
    MJ
    Depends on the dog I suppose. Dog has a history of issues, he sees a vet yearly or twice a year. Dog is healthy and never has issues... He may see once a year. I do not get the DHLPP vaccines for dogs past like 3 or 4. Its just rabies.

    Nigredo gets get visits when I get the inkling. Can't recall his last one... It was ages ago for a yeasty ear. Once I learned what it was, I learned to treat without a vet. I check his ears more often. If I see ANY signs of yucky ear... A few drops of Tea Tree oil cleans it right up.

    Add in the fact that I DO NOT trust the vets in my area, I'm not quick to rush my dogs to them when nothing seems wrong. Nigredo is a big tubby chubby... But he seems okay. Vets never helped. Told me to cut down on his food and feed diet foods. None of it helped.
  8. GsdSlave

    GsdSlave Member

    Likes Received:
    2,715
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Vee
    I only take mine to vet if am worried about something, with Heiko I had to go every 6 months for eye check as needed for prescription.
  9. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

    Likes Received:
    4,988
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Carole
    @GsdSlave Vee, did you intend to put, 'had to go', or is this a predictive text error?
  10. GsdSlave

    GsdSlave Member

    Likes Received:
    2,715
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Vee
    Hi Carole , sadly I had to say goodbye to Heiko last month.
  11. Malka

    Malka Member

    Likes Received:
    7,757
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Juli
    GsdSlave likes this.
    Vee - I am so sorry to hear that you had to say goodbye to Heiko - may his Memory be for a Blessing.

    Run free Heiko, run free as fast as you can.
  12. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

    Likes Received:
    4,988
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Carole
    GsdSlave likes this.
    I am so sorry Vee. It was clear how much you loved your beautiful boy. You must still be in the raw stage of grief, and I'm sorry to have brought it to the surface today.
    Run free Heiko. We may never have met but you have had a strong presence on these pages. xx
  13. who owns who

    who owns who Member

    Likes Received:
    1,256
    Gender:
    Male
    Name:
    Marc
    GsdSlave likes this.
    We all know how it feels to have to say goodbye to our dogs, I’m sorry that you’re having to experience this now, Vee. He lives on in your memories
  14. GsdSlave

    GsdSlave Member

    Likes Received:
    2,715
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Vee
    Thanks x
  15. Old

    Old Member

    Likes Received:
    109
    Gender:
    Male
    Name:
    Don
  16. Old

    Old Member

    Likes Received:
    109
    Gender:
    Male
    Name:
    Don
    Lucky me. Once a month, overactive anal glands, Rx for itchy skin, then a bath. Little monster is expensive. - Don
  17. mthomas92

    mthomas92 New Member

    Likes Received:
    0
    Gender:
    Male
    Name:
    Mike
    I go to the vet twice a year. I only have 1 dog and I just want to keep him safe and healthy all year long. I even bought a GPS tracker for my pet to know where she is all the time. You can never be too protective. If anyone is looking to buy a GPS tracker, look at this website.

Share This Page