6 Or 12 Monthly Check Ups

[Bjelkier]

Mine only go when they need too.

[Jetty]

Thanks for the responses guys, it's interesting to see the differences between people

If you learn yourself how to do a basic exam and you know what is normal you can by pass the vet visit as long as if you do pick something up which is out of whack you take em off for a check up.

I don't vaccinate anything past its first year booster - which I give them myself.

While i agree with this to an extent, it is important to stress that you are very experienced. The average joe blow, perhaps not on this forum, or perhaps just passing by, should have yearly check ups.

No i dont see my own doctor once a year, but I see my dentist once, sometimes twice if i remember. And I do see my doctor to get I a papsmear every 2 years (goodie!) There are things that should be "maintained" things like teeth which i don't understand. And things that may not cause me any pain, but should be checked.

Dogs don't always make it obvious when they are ill and unless you are very experienced, or to some degree trained in the area perhaps a check up with a professional is good. A dogs life is much shorter than ours, so one year in their life is like seven passing in ours not just "doggy years" but literally, they of course to age faster than us.

This is a very good comment.

I am no expert so I plan to take Jet yearly. He is going this Saturday for his first yearly check up since a puppy. I look over him when I have cuddles but I don't know much about dogs medically. So I prefer to be a bit safer.

[stormie]

Mine goes every day But seriously, I love that he's here so often. Obviously I know what to look for, but having someone see him who's not as close to him and can pick up on changes that I maybe haven't noticed is good.

Sometimes it's not always easy to see changes, specially if they are slow. I had a friend who's young dog had a tumour grow in her nasal passage, but they didn't really notice the change to her face until they were faced with other symptoms and actually started to look. Where as I, on the other hand, noticed the mass straight away because I hadn't been looking at her every day.

[Scouty]

When we got Bossie, i booked her in with our vet just to give her the once over and to meet her new doc!

She received a glowing health check and we talked about diet medication/vacination.

We want to do it right from the get go.

I fully trust my vet and we hope to have a long and enjoyable relationship (as in, the three of us)

I will do it again with the next pup i get. She only gets the once a year check up unless something is of concern throughout the year.

scout

[numol]

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Edited July 20, 2012 by numol

[CareyJ]

I don't think many people go 6 monthly. It is odd to see people come in with healthy dogs unless it is just for a vaccination. A nurse I work with used to work with Chris Brown and he had a lot of people (mainly women) come for "check ups" for perfectly healthy animals

If he was my vet, I would be in much more often too

Leila is only 15 months old and we have only been in for sterilisation and annual vaccinations (although considering alternative vaccination schedules). I have found that in most cases vets are dependent on the feedback from the owner anyway in identifying major problems and we go in armed with a whole lot of questions that the vets wouldnt normally cover.

[ophnbark]

Mine only go when they need too.

Ours too.

[noisymina]

No I don't.I have 8 kids and I never took them back once a year either if they weren't sick.

I can relate to that. I only had three kids, but I did get a bit insulted when a vet suggested my dog needed 6 monthly blood tests etc etc etc ..because I would not know if she was not well. I now have another vet who has kids herself and trusts my judgement a bit better than that.

My girl is getting on in years and does need more attention now - so she is going to the vet more often.

In the past, I've had them not go near a vet for years on end if they have not needed it.

[BJean]

Same here nothing past 1st year vac. and mine go to the vet when they need to. Some go often some don't go at all.

Yep mine go to the vet only when they need to.

nb: Check up for what?

I can tell if my dog is unwell or not .

As an owner you are the best judge as to whether your dog 'just not right'.

Edited June 10, 2010 by lilli

[lanabanana]

To be honest, I only just started vaccinating my dogs.

The dogs I have had as below:

Chevy (RIP) had 3 puppy vaxs and that was it until we moved to Oz. Never had an annual check up. Went to the vet when there was something amiss. For the last 3 years of her life this was about 5 times a year as she developed allergies. Befoe that she went twice, once for speying and once for her ear when it filled with blood.

Lennox (RIP) one puppy shot. 3 vet visits. One for a dog attack ripping a hole in his face, another to be neutered at 6 and another before the neuturing to sew a hole in his penis (no idea how it got there).

Barney (5) one puppy shot. No vet visits. Then in March last year we moved here and he came in June (with Chevy) and he had vaxs and check ups befor ehe came. Since he has been here he has been to the vet once when he got up one morning and his back legs were wobbly. He has also had an annual booster last week and a check up at same time.

Pippi (1 tomorrow) has had all her puppy shots and been to the vet at 6 months for speying. She will go to the vet next in September for her annual vax and a check up.

It might make me a bad owner but I am not really into Vaxs or annual check ups (obvously I did do worming, fleang etc - no heartworm or ticks really in NZ). They go to the vet when they need to. I give them a once over most nights anyway while they are having cuddles and if I pick anything up that might need attention in they go.

However, now that we live in Oz and there is noone to look after the dogs if we go away they have to have vaxs so they can go in kennels so they will get an anual vax and they will have a check up at the same time.

I dont think 6 months is necessary as you can generally tell f your dog is a bit off (well if you spend lots of time with them which I asume most people here would do) but then probably most people here would thnk my dogs didnt go enough prior to coming here - which is fair enough.

Edited June 10, 2010 by lanabanana