Annual Checklist

It seems like just a short time ago that your best (canine) friend had a veterinary check-up, but today, once again, you’ve spotted that familiar reminder in the mail. Another veterinary exam already? Here is a checklist of some of the ways you can help ensure your dog’s good health throughout the year:

• Do make an appointment for a veterinary check-up. “Well dog” visits are critical for detecting subtle changes in your pet’s physical health. Ideally, dogs should be seen at least once per year, or more frequently if they are elderly or have special medical needs.
• Be sure your dog’s vaccinations are up-to-date. Annual vaccinations should include distemper, leptospirosis (new variants of which have prompted development of updated vaccinations), and parvovirus. Rabies vaccine should be administered every one, two or three years, depending upon regulations in your state.
• Ask your veterinarian for current recommendations about vaccines against Lyme disease and Bordetella (“kennel cough,” which may be important if you plan to board your dog).
• Whether your dog gets his heartworm preventative year-round or only during mosquito season, his blood should be tested annually for heartworms or their immature microfilaria.
• Discuss flea and tick control with your veterinarian. Products that work against these parasites are updated quickly and frequently. Remember that fleas, or at least their pupae, will live year-round in your home and yard!
• Is it time for a dental cleaning, under sedation or anesthesia, for your canine companion? An annual examination will help determine whether (or when) dental preventative cleaning will be needed. This is also a good time to evaluate your at-home dental care program and perhaps demonstrate how you brush your dog’s teeth.
• Bring a small sample of your dog’s stool to the veterinary clinic, where laboratory technicians will examine it for the presence of parasite eggs. Ask your veterinarian for help with identifying tapeworm (cestode) segments, which are not easily detected in a stool sample.
• An annual assessment of your pet’s behavior will help identify newly emerging problems - perhaps before they become serious. Whether your dog is barking excessively or destroying shoes in your absence, her misbehavior can usually be controlled if caught in the beginning stages.
• If your dog is elderly, discuss his special needs with your veterinarian. Just like people, senior dogs may suffer from various organ system problems, osteoarthritis, loss of vision or hearing, and even memory loss or dementia (also known as cognitive dysfunction syndrome). Luckily, many problems can be successfully controlled with medication or simple lifestyle changes.