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Taking your dog to the vet regularly is essential at every life stage. It’s especially important when you first bring him home—puppies need a special set of exams and vaccinations, as do adopted dogs with an unknown history or existing medical conditions. As your dog ages, he’ll be more prone to develop illnesses and will require special treatment. At every stage of his life, regular dog health checks will be essential to his growth and development.
When you get a puppy, one of the first things you should do is take him to the vet. Your puppy’s first vet visit will involve a physical exam, deworming, stool sample, and shots, but it will also involve educating you on how to take care of your friend. Make a list of questions for your vet before the visit, along with any sort of health information provided by the shelter, pet store, or breeder. He will also need to return for follow-up vaccinations a few weeks later.
When your pup is fully grown, he will still need to visit the vet when he gets sick and for annual check-ups. A yearly visit is usually a good time for your vet to do a physical exam on your dog. This includes taking your dog’s temperature, weighing him, and checking his heart, lungs, stomach, teeth, eyes, ears, skin, and coat. It’s also important to maintain these yearly visits so that your vet can maintain knowledge and a relationship with your dog.
What can I do before the first visit?
Unless you are walking distance from the veterinary hospital, you should accustom your dog to car travel. For safety, properly restrain your dog in your car by placing him in a crate or use an approved canine harness restraint. Before actually going to the veterinary hospital, take practice car rides making short trips to a pleasant location, such as a nearby dog park, and provide a treat when you reach the destination. If your dog enjoys traveling in a vehicle, going to your veterinarian is much easier.
The Walther family includes 3 dogs (Eelie, Eva, and Vanilla Bean) and two cats (Gambit and Linkin). It is the love she shares for her family, both human and animal, that fosters her drive to enhance our ability to detect, prevent and treat disease within the field of veterinary medicine.
Dr. Claire Walther was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. She received her BS and DVM from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. While at Purdue University, she graduated with honors for her research. During her veterinary education, she acted as a clinical pathology technician and developed a keen understanding of clinical laboratory testing. She practiced outside Indianapolis in corporate (Banfield) and independent general practice before joining Zoetis in 2016. Dr. Walther is currently a Zoetis Petcare HQ Medical Lead.