Yearly Appointment/Check-up?

[MisssAshby]

What does your yearly appointment/check-up include?

Titers? Lab? If you have lab drawn what do you check for?

[Saeleofu]

Where I work, for dogs under 7 an annual exam is an exam, and then the rabies and distemper/parvo vaccines every 3 years. Bordatella once or twice a year depending on the dog. Heartworm test every year, fecal float twice a year. For dogs 7 and older we recommend what we call a senior profile, which is baseline kidney/liver enzymes (total of 12 separate tests...BUN, ALKP, ALT, Creatinine, total protein, Phosphorus, cholesterol, glucose...I can't remember them all right now), ERD (urine test for proteinuria (sp?)), CBC, and electrolytes. Most people don't actually do the senior profile, but we offer it and recommend it, and it has caught some stuff early on many patients.

[elegy]

where i work, exam, fecal, and vaccines as appropriate for the individual (we do distemper/rabies q 3 years, bordetella and lyme annually or twice yearly depending on the dog/lifestyle). because we live in a low risk area, we do not require annual heartworm tests for dogs kept on heartworm preventative year round.

[BostonBanker]

Meg's is physical exam, fecal (lots of time at the barn), heartworm (I only do a six-month plan here in the arctic wastelands of Vermont, so she gets checked in spring before she goes back on it), rabies every 3 years, and titers every two or three years for distemper/parvo.

[MisssAshby]

Originally Posted by BostonBanker

Meg's is physical exam, fecal (lots of time at the barn), heartworm (I only do a six-month plan here in the arctic wastelands of Vermont, so she gets checked in spring before she goes back on it), rabies every 3 years, and titers every two or three years for distemper/parvo.

You don't do any type of lab? Do you just go by if Meg is having problems?

[Fran101]

Physical exam, Fecal, Bloodwork, bordatella vaccine (required yearly by her doggy day care). Every 3 years she gets her rabies shot

[Doberluv]

I don't do an annual exam persay unless my dogs are having some kind of problem. Like Jose` right now is having problems with his knees, so when I take him in to see if we have to do surgery, we'll have things done. When they have their teeth cleaned every year or so, they get blood work done. (liver enzymes etc) They're not likely to have worms, as they're older dogs. Something usually winds up so that they end up having to have an exam. But I don't do vaccines on my senior dogs. But I don't take them in every year on the dot just because.

[corgipower]

I do a physical exam, heartworm test yearly and titers are done every other year. Rabies vax every 3 years except for Ares.

I'll most likely start doing senior dog blood work on Ares.

[dobesgalore]

I don't usually get the "normal" vaccines(distemper,parvo etc...) but every two years. heartworm check and rabies are yearly. Along with that I get a fecal and deworm for whatever is necessary.

[MafiaPrincess]

Haven't found a vet I like. Been to 3 in 5 years and feel they all took my dog's health care in a half-ass fashion.

Exams have generally involved looking my dogs over, barely touching them at all three practices.. and pointing out lifetime long flaws I'm aware of and they should be too as it was never my first time in the door such as Cider's droopy lower eyelids..

They pushed every other heart worm testing if you feel you are diligent in giving meds and I'm okay with that heartworm isn't too prevalent here.. Never been offered or told I should have a fecal done..

If I've wanted bloodwork done because something seemed off I've had to push it at a different appointment.

And since the AAHA 2006 protocols have come out most appointments involve them telling me I'm an uneducated moron who doesn't understand vaccine protocols and that they don't care what I think.. and me telling them Smudge is fine intact and to quit telling me he has to be neutered years ago..

So now I don't do a yearly exam. We go in for issues. I don't deprive my kids of vet care, but I've gotten nothing useful out of a so called yearly exam only endless belittling and headaches. Last tiem I asked about it the last vet practice I used wouldn't simply do rabies and titer or do just rabies and leave me alone..

So I hit a rabies clinic few weeks ago first time ever. Meant there was no nasty, no fighting, no belittling, no fighting with me that my food choices are evil, and my kids got the vaccine they really need to have less hassle.

I keep asking agility folk for vet recommendations I have one that seems like a possible prospect.. apparently pro raw, pro titers and minimal vaccs and will treat holistically as well as traditionally upon the needs of the client.. I'm jaded though and until we have an issue I'm waiting to go visit her.