How Often Should Your Dog or Cat Go to the Vet?

Pets’ lives are never long enough. One way to help your animal companions live longer and enjoy more time with you is with regular veterinary checkups. Routine visits can address potential issues early and help prevent diseases from developing. Veterinary medical professionals recommend a wellness visit for both dogs and cats at least once a year. Puppies, kittens and senior pets need to be seen more often for optimal health and wellness.¹

When and how often to take your pet to the vet for a checkup depends largely on their life stage and age-related health issues. Following a pet checkup timeline can help keep your dog or cat on track for a lifetime of better health.

How Often Should Your Pet Go to the Vet?

Your adult dog or cat should, at minimum, receive a routine veterinary exam at least once per year.¹ But they may need to be seen more often depending on several factors, including:

• Age

• Breed

• Health condition

• Environment

• Lifestyle

Puppies, kittens and senior pets have different health needs than healthy adult dogs or cats in the prime of life.

Puppy and Kitten Checkup Timeline (0 to 12 Months)

Both puppies and kittens should begin seeing a vet around 8 weeks of age. They’re usually fully weaned at this age, and any immunity to illnesses conferred to them through nursing has begun to wear off. Vaccinations can help keep your infant pets protected going forward.²

After the initial vaccination at their first visit, puppies and kittens need additional boosters every three or four weeks until they’re about 4 months old.² They’ll need their first adult booster when they’re a year old.³

In addition to vaccinations, your vet will check and treat your little fur bud for both external and internal parasites, monitor their weight and growth and address any behavioral issues or developmental abnormalities that come up during the exams.²

By 6 months of age, kittens as well as many pups are old enough to be spayed or neutered. That may vary for some pets depending on their breed and overall health. Your vet can help you determine the best time to spay or neuter your pup.⁴

Here’s a typical timeline for puppy and kitten checkups:²

8 weeks: 

• Nose-to-tail examination

• First vaccinations

• Deworming

• Flea and tick protection

• Heartworm medication

12 weeks:

• Nose-to-tail examination

• Booster vaccinations; additional vaccinations as needed

• Deworming

• Flea and tick protection

• Heartworm medication

16 weeks:

• Nose-to-tail examination

• Booster vaccinations; additional vaccinations as needed

• Flea and tick protection

• Heartworm medication

6 months:

• By this age, cats and dogs are almost fully grown. Flea, tick and heartworm medications may need to be adjusted for their adult weight.

• Cats are ready to be spayed or neutered.⁵ Check with your vet about whether it’s a good time to spay or neuter your dog.⁶

12 months:

• Nose-to-tail examination

• First adult boosters

• Flea and tick protection

• Heartworm test if it’s been six months or more since their last dose of preventive medication

• Heartworm medication

Dog and Cat Checkup Timeline (1 to 10 Years)

In the prime of life, your dog or cat may seem healthy enough to tempt you to skip the annual vet visits. But obesity and periodontal disease are both health issues that can creep up unnoticed and wreak havoc on your pet’s health as they age.⁶ Annual wellness checkups can help monitor these issues before they progress to something more serious.

In addition to dental exams and weight monitoring, parasite prevention and continued vaccinations are an important part of your adult pet’s annual health checks.³ Your vet can also watch for any breed-specific health problems that tend to manifest in adulthood, as well as aging-related issues as your pet moves through middle age and into their senior years.

2 years of age and each following year:

• Nose-to-tail examination to check:¹

  • Weight and body condition

  • Teeth and gums

  • Eyes and ears

  • Heart and lungs

  • Unusual lumps or bumps on skin

• Annual vaccination boosters⁶

• Flea, tick and heartworm prevention⁵

• Fecal exam or blood work to test for internal parasites if your pet is deemed vulnerable¹

• As your pet ages, your vet may recommend additional blood work or tests to check organ function.¹

Every three years:

• Three-year vaccination boosters⁶

Senior Pet Checkup Timeline (11+ Years)

Generally, senior pets over the age of 10 should have a checkup at least every six months.⁵ But large breed dogs tend to age faster, so they may be considered senior at a younger age.⁶ Geriatric pets, or pets with ongoing health problems, may need to be seen more frequently to monitor medications and other treatments and to assess their condition and quality of life.⁶

Senior pets also become more susceptible to certain illnesses. In addition to the routine care they’ve received throughout their lives, senior checkups may include blood work, X-rays and other tests to screen for these diseases, including:⁶

• Diabetes

• Kidney and liver issues

• Heart problems

• Osteoarthritis

• Cancer

Your veterinarian can also monitor your senior pet's hearing and vision, as well as watch for any signs of cognitive dysfunction as they age.

11 years (or the age recommended by your vet) and every following six months:

• Nose-to-tail examination

• Dental exam

• Vaccination boosters as needed

• Flea, tick and heartworm prevention

• Bloodwork and any additional tests your vet may recommend

• Checking for and treating age-related ailments

• Prescribing, monitoring and adjusting medications as needed

Regular Vet Checkups for the Health and Longevity of Your Pet

Routine checkups throughout your pet’s life can help prevent some diseases and health problems, as well as identify and treat others early enough to improve outcomes and extend your pet’s life. Following a pet checkup timeline can help ensure you don’t skip a vet visit that could turn out to be lifesaving for your pet.

If it’s been more than a year since your dog or cat has had a checkup, it’s not too late. Schedule a wellness check for your pet and talk to your vet about how often they should be seen going forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some commonly asked questions about pet checkups and how often your pet should see the vet.

CareCredit Credit Card Financing for Dogs and Cats

Taking good care of your pet's well-being from nose to tail is essential. Make sure to stay up to date on their regular checkups at the vet to help keep your pet happy and healthy for a lifetime of love. You can use your CareCredit credit card for pet care throughout the year for routine veterinary services as well as emergencies and surgeries.* Use our Acceptance Locator to find a veterinarian near you that accepts CareCredit.

CareCredit is there for you and your pet every step of the way; continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to pet care, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, cosmetic, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?