For those with dogs or cats: how often do you take them to the vet, excluding routine appointments like claw clippings or weight checks? My cats go every couple of months for the basics, but I’m curious about emergency or illness-related visits.
My pets are healthy, but it seems like on Reddit I always hear about dogs eating something dangerous or cats getting diagnosed with serious illnesses like UTIs or even cancer. How often do your pets need to go in for non-routine things?
My two healthy cats only go once annually. I track their weight and behaviors at home and will bring in a stool sample if the vet asks for one.
My dog goes every 2-3 months, but I’m an extreme hypochondriac, and he has allergies and arthritis. Plus, he’s technically a senior now.
My dog went 7 times this year, lol.
My puppy just finished her vaccinations and will be spayed next month. After that, it’ll be yearly like her siblings. My middle dog had her yearly checkup and needed teeth pulled, which was expensive. My senior dog has a collapsed trachea but is in great health otherwise. So, aside from regular checkups, we haven’t had many emergencies.
Our house cats rarely go unless something’s wrong, which is almost never. Our 17-year-old cat is still fine. The dogs, however, are another story. We seem to be at the vet every other month with skin issues, seizures, or other health problems.
Until they hit their senior years, it was maybe one non-routine appointment a year. But as they’ve aged, the vet visits have started to add up.
Our dog didn’t go to the vet much until around age 15, when she was diagnosed with cancer. She was happy and healthy up until then, and the vet said that was the best scenario for a dog.
My dog’s going to the vet tomorrow because his ear flap is full of blood. He hasn’t been shaking his head much, so it might have happened while playing with our other dog.
My pets go every three years for their rabies vaccine.