# Annual vet exams?



## Colie CVT (Nov 10, 2013)

Color me curious. How many of you who don't do the typically recommended vaccine protocol (not talking minimal but what your vet recommends) still are taking your pet in for annual exams?

People should technically be seen by a dr once a year. It's helpful for catching possible disease process early and being sure you are on the right path. Plus legally if your pet is on medication (least here in Idaho) they have to be seen yearly for refills. 

It is more important as the pet gets older, but I was curious. How many of you keep regular "check ups"?


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## Lark (Jan 27, 2014)

I do the recommended vaccine schedule, but even if I didn't I would still do the annual appointment. I think at my vet I have to in order to purchase his monthly heartworm preventative.

When my last dog turned either 7 or 8 my vet had me bring him in twice a year. Probably overkill but I did it. He also started having yearly bloodwork once he was labelled a senior.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I don't. I think am a good judge to see when they need to go to the vet. Much of it is business (overkill)


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

I also feel I know my dog much better than my vet and will know when and if something is off. 

I hate the idea of taking my healthy dog to a place where illness is so concentrated.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I do. They still need tested for HW/tick diseases. And I run a chem17 periodically since they are raw fed.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I do, as with michelle, I do a yearly hw/tick testing and also run chems on them occasionally


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I also have to do annual HW check. But I don't normally have blood panels run. Now that Kacie is a senior I may do so. Karlo will have his blood drawn often to see where his levels are at. Every 6 weeks right [email protected]$70 a pop. 

I think it depends on the dog, age and their individual health issues.


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

Nikki has EPI & IBD so we use vaccine titers and she only gets rabies by law every three years. 

She gets a very thorough exam once a year for now and we will go to twice a year when she becomes a senior.


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## angelas (Aug 23, 2003)

I didn't do yearly vax but I did do yearly exams. Starting when Shania was about 10 I did yearly blood panel. Starting when she was about 11 we did a check up every 6 months and the yearly panel.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I do every three years for vaccines and yearly for HW, which includes the exam. I do blood panels before they are neutered, within 6 months of an illness where they might need antibiotics, every other year once they turn 7 and yearly at the age of 11. Will do every 6 months if needed once they become seniors. I have one senior now


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

All mine see the vet _at least _annually, even with 3-year vaccines. Sometimes it's every 6 months, depending on the dog. One of them has long had another separate annual visit with his vet ophthalmologist too -- full work up for his eyes, above and beyond his regular vet check up. That just got bumped up to every 6 months, as he's aging and things are changing in his eyes. 

Like others, we have to redo the HW test on all dogs (if they are freshly rescued, that gets redone at 6 mo., not 1 yr.). If the dog is 7 or more, we do a senior wellness panel every year. 

When I was younger and money was tighter, I remember not liking the idea of taking a healthy dog in for a needless visit. It felt like a waste. I would cringe at every recommended add-on test, as they seemed so expensive. I think cost is likely a big reason a lot of people don't like the idea of annual visits. 

My views on this have evolved -- part of it is being more committed to the idea of preventative care (in people too) as a way of catching illness early and minimizing health risks. That style of care is harder to appreciate in one's 20s, but it starts making a lot more sense in one's 40s, 50s, and 60s.... I think of the annual vet visits for the dogs the same way I think of a physical for me or DH--something we do to take care of ourselves. I think my evolution in thinking about this also has to do with having a vet I really like and trust--it took years to find a _really _good one. 

To my current thinking, the healthy dog's annual visit is part of developing a baseline of data of what "wellness" means in each dog's file -- so any anomalous findings years later will register as anomalous for that dog. This is something you learn to care about once you've been through your first senior dog with kidney issues, cancer, or any other disorder that makes its appearance known through only vague hints at first.

I've also come to appreciate that this style of care is part of building a relationship with the vet regarding all my dogs. He knows them. He knows me. The staff knows us too. We've shed tears together when one passed. There's a reason why when one gets sick, the vet gives me his cell phone number over the weekend, so that we don't have to go to the emergency vet -- or when one reaches the end of life, I'm one of the few clients he makes a house-call for. We've built a relationship over the lives of these animals, and the annual visit is an opportunity to keep that strong. 

If the cost of maintaining that relationship is a $50 visit and $100 worth of bloodwork once or twice a year, it is _so _worth it to me.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

I do a minimal vaccine schedule but I take them in twice a year for HW/tick blood work and general blood work to make sure their diet is working successfully. Vets can establish a "norm" for your dog at annual check ups, and they can use that information when diagnosing a problem in the future.


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## Colie CVT (Nov 10, 2013)

Magwart said:


> All mine see the vet _at least _annually, even with 3-year vaccines. Sometimes it's every 6 months, depending on the dog. One of them has long had another separate annual visit with his vet ophthalmologist too -- full work up for his eyes, above and beyond his regular vet check up. That just got bumped up to every 6 months, as he's aging and things are changing in his eyes.
> 
> Like others, we have to redo the HW test on all dogs (if they are freshly rescued, that gets redone at 6 mo., not 1 yr.). If the dog is 7 or more, we do a senior wellness panel every year.
> 
> ...


Magwart, you seriously made my night seeing this.  I really wish that more people who owned pets would think like this too! They forget that having a relationship with a vet is something that helps you in the long run. They're always more likely to do something for you and let you pay later on the bill or be more willing to discount things if you are a good customer and take time to build that relationship.

I feel the same way about my personal dr. The reason I stay with him is because I trust him and he trusts me. And in the past when I've been in a huge bind, he's done things for free, gotten me as many samples as he could. I am always willing to wait to see him, and thankfully when it comes to my pets, daily I'm with vets that I know and trust, and its super easy to ask them questions/talk up concerns. 

I really am happily surprised to see people who do testing for HW and ticks, who do bloodwork and increase senior visits! These aren't just marketing gimmicks, they are preventative measures. Just like they tell us to do mammary checks, to have routine prostate exams or keep an eye on our blood pressure and cholesterol. While we can decide for us, our pets rely on us to help them.

It is really interesting to see the different mindsets on it and reasons behind it.  

And it was fun to tell my boss at the general clinic today that I give my dogs frozen raw bones for treats occasionally and have him see just how perfectly fine Myles' teeth were.  He always goes on about how bones just cause broken teeth. Not if you choose wisely however lol.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I am more fussy about the dogs than I am about me. But I only take them in when they are sick, or when I am getting them vaccinated. I am far more likely to take them to the vet than I am to take me to a doctor. But if it is necessary for medication, then I will do it.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I drop the DHPP vaccine from the rotation when they get older, it looks like we may have to pick up the lepto in the spring - but, like Magwart says, because there is a relationship with the vets at the office I go to, one of them has offered to come to my place at no charge and do the vaccines in whatever way will work for my dogs, also without the exam fee for each ($320 savings). I do the rabies every 3 years no matter what (impending passing would be the only reason I wouldn't). 

So theoretically, I could drop yearly exams. I don't for the same reasons Magwart listed. For seniors, they typically end up there more than 1x because of bumps and lumps. The other thing my vets have been good with, because I am there as needed, is not charging for an office visit for repeat things, or even like yesterday my GSD went in for her yearly, I took another dog with a lump (fatty lipoma FTW!) and he just charged for the aspirate on that, even though she had an appointment and we used the whole time for both. 

If I weren't using HW preventative, I would test 2x every 14 months. 

I do have a cat who we all decided would be better off not coming yearly, though I think the only vet who dealt with her without blood and trauma (blood for the vet, trauma for all) may be coming back, and if so, she will be going in.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I do the annual exam and bloodwork and very limited shot schedule. My exam includes titers every 2 years, but I do a tick panel in addition to exam, chem/cbc/ua


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I do even though they're not getting annual shots. We do heart worm and fecal every year. Especially important since I don't give heartworm and tick meds year round. 

Things pop up. Last year my 6 year old came up positive for lymes. I had no idea she had it without that annual exam. Things like heart murmurs that i've experienced with past dogs have come up and was detected early with annual exams. Things happen that you'd have no idea were there have been detected with annual exams. 

It's worth the once a year price of $70 plus whatever tests are run for an annual exam, in my opinion.


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

Lucy Dog said:


> I do even though they're not getting annual shots. We do heart worm and fecal every year. Especially important since I don't give heartworm and tick meds year round.
> 
> Things pop up. Last year my 6 year old came up positive for lymes. I had no idea she had it without that annual exam. Things like heart murmurs that i've experienced with past dogs have come up and was detected early with annual exams. Things happen that you'd have no idea were there have been detected with annual exams.
> 
> It's worth the once a year price of $70 plus whatever tests are run for an annual exam, in my opinion.


I'm envious of your vetting fees in the U.S. 
For me...
Heartworm Blood work $50
Exam/visit $70
Stool same $50
Lyme $50
Total plus 15% tax


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Saphire said:


> I'm envious of your vetting fees in the U.S.
> For me...
> Heartworm Blood work $50
> Exam/visit $70
> ...


Oh... it's just $70 to walk in the door. Probably could have worded that better. After fecals and blood work it ends up being between $200-$300 depending on what we do for an annual exam. Trust me, there's nothing to be envious about when it comes to vet prices around here.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I do an annual exam, no vaccines. I do HW meds even though we don't have it here but they don't test here unless there is a lapse in meds. I do baseline blood panels at 6 mnths, 4 yrs, 8 yrs and annually after age 10. Also after age 10 the exams go to twice a year. With blood work on file it is easy to pinpoint changes. 
My old vet, Sabs best bud, was the one who recommended that schedule. He was also the one who told me to stop vaccinating. I do the puppy series at 8, 12 and 16 weeks, rabies at 6mnths and the 1 year booster then no more.

I, on the other hand have not seen a doctor in years, lol.


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Right now, it seems I do monthly...eventually, twice a year, one just for check up, the other heartworm, stool, shots etc. 
Bloodwork, the vet will do as Fritz gets older.


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

Both of my dogs are at the vet periodically for something. Sprangs. X-rays. HW Check ups. My female has some on going issues related to an illness so we are at the vet on a regular basis anyway. I don't think it is really necessary for an extra trip just for a check up. They get more than enough of my money.


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## ugavet2012 (Apr 15, 2010)

Saphire said:


> I'm envious of your vetting fees in the U.S.
> For me...
> Heartworm Blood work $50
> Exam/visit $70
> ...


I'm envious of your vetting fees in Canada 
Our exam is $33.


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

ugavet2012 said:


> I'm envious of your vetting fees in Canada
> Our exam is $33.


I wish lol


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## N Smith (Aug 25, 2011)

I do only puppy series (usually only 8 weeks and 16 weeks), then Rabies (3 year) for those dogs that travel with me to the U.S.

Up until this year I needed a health certificate to get across the border, which meant some of my dogs saw the vet for a "check up" 3 times a year. Now they only require the rabies, which will save me lots of $$.

I do my own once overs every week/2 weeks when I groom, make sure to identify anything that shows up (lumps/bumps etc) that might need a vets opinion. Anything I can self treat, I do, using essential oils, homeopathic remedies etc.

I LOVE my vet - we have a very good relationship and when it comes to emergencies, health testing, progesterone testing my females, and surgery she is just absolutely 100% my go to person, she truly is amazing. I myself don't go to the Dr. yearly, and I don't feel the need to bring my dogs that often either.


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## lafalce (Jan 16, 2001)

Yes, I would do the yearly exam. My vet calls it the Wellness exam. Since I had to get the rabies shot, I would let them do the whole thing. Wellness blood test, exam, etc.

It was pricey, but worth it I think.


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## Colie CVT (Nov 10, 2013)

Personally with bloodwork yearly, it shows you trends, and helps you catch things early. If you are in and out of the vet all year for things, that is different. Obviously you wouldn't need a yearly then, but if they don't have issues, the once a year is helpful in my opinion. 

****, my dogs are at the vet every day but I still have a good exam once a year. My cats get it also. I have two donors that get extra testing and have to stay healthy and up to date on vaccines. I feel lucky to work with specialists too. Never would have found out the color changing in my cat's eye was an iris melanocytoma if I hadn't seen her concerned about pigment changes.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Colie CVT said:


> Personally with bloodwork yearly, it shows you trends, and helps you catch things early. If you are in and out of the vet all year for things, that is different. Obviously you wouldn't need a yearly then, but if they don't have issues, the once a year is helpful in my opinion.
> 
> ****, my dogs are at the vet every day but I still have a good exam once a year. My cats get it also. I have two donors that get extra testing and have to stay healthy and up to date on vaccines. I feel lucky to work with specialists too. Never would have found out the color changing in my cat's eye was an iris melanocytoma if I hadn't seen her concerned about pigment changes.


I agree. It's a baseline. Some medications can do damage and I am big on doing a recheck within 6 months. Especially if there was an infection or elevated levels somewhere. It gives me peace of mind to know that whatever was going on is gone and the medication didn't harm any organs.


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## Colie CVT (Nov 10, 2013)

I hear you on that one. My roommate's female GSD spiked a fever from nowhere that had her liver values in just some of the most insane levels we've ever seen. I cannot remember if we actually gave her antibiotics or just let her ride it out. My roommate is big on supplements and within a month her values bounced back pretty well. But we still dunno what happened there. 

Only ones that get annual bloodwork right now of mine are Myles and Trapper, since they're blood donors. Interestingly enough though, Myles has annual tick titers and has never come up positive. I just use Frontline and they get garlic, and I do know he picks some of them up. They love to crawl off of him and onto me.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

I do the yearly exam with the recommended vaccine schedule.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

We do a yearly exam, heaven forbid we are late. We start receiving phobe calls emails and friendly reminders via postcards. We were late for shilohs and we got a letter askung us if we still had shiloh and reminding us that she is a rescue and we are to notify the original rescue if we dont have her anymore. weird and intrusive


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## N Smith (Aug 25, 2011)

misslesleedavis1 said:


> We do a yearly exam, heaven forbid we are late. We start receiving phobe calls emails and friendly reminders via postcards. We were late for shilohs and we got a letter askung us if we still had shiloh and reminding us that she is a rescue and we are to notify the original rescue if we dont have her anymore. weird and intrusive


I used to get one of the "post cards" for each dog when their vaccines were due. It is an automatic thing, the admin staff usually look after it.

Just made a quick call to let them know that I do not give any vaccines beyond the puppy series, so save your paper and take me off the reminder list. They did. No reminders since 

Sounds like yours may be a little more extreme tho - why the 3rd degree??? Maybe you switched vets, or something else rather innocent...cray cray!


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