Why Preventive Healthcare is Important for Dogs

Why does my dog need regular veterinary care?

An annual or semi-annual veterinary checkup is often considered a vaccine visit, but it is about so much more than vaccines. It’s preventive care for your pet that includes detecting and managing health conditions before they become severe and optimizing your pet’s quality of life – as well as preventing disease.

Many dogs do not receive the level of veterinary care that they need and deserve, mostly because they do not visit their veterinarian frequently enough. These dogs are missing out on regular wellness care and, in turn, their owners are not taking advantage of professional health guidance from their veterinarians, which can help extend dogs’ lives.

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has developed the Canine Life Stage Guidelines to help veterinarians and dog owners keep dogs healthy and happy. Medical professionals are increasing their reliance on scientifically grounded clinical guidelines like these to improve patient health, quality of care, and quality of life. Veterinarians recognize the usefulness of these guidelines in elevating the standard of care they provide for their canine patients.

Preventive healthcare includes regular wellness examinations, vaccinations, parasite prevention, dental care, nutrition, and screening tests that help detect disease before obvious signs develop.

How do the Canine Life Stage Guidelines benefit my dog?

Like physicians and dentists, veterinarians increasingly rely on evidence-based clinical guidelines to help provide the highest standard of care. Now that dogs are living longer, they are developing some of the same age-related illnesses and issues that humans develop, such as osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer.

Your veterinary healthcare team plays an essential role in maintaining your dog’s health and wellness. One of their goals is to help you understand the importance of preventing disease or detecting it early, when it is more manageable. The guidelines provide a clear and straightforward plan that promotes prevention and early intervention, which can ultimately help dogs live longer and healthier lives.

How are these guidelines different from what I find on the internet?

The Canine Life Stage Guidelines reflect the best available scientific and clinical information for enhancing your dog’s health and quality of life at various life stages. This information is often difficult for pet owners to find on their own. In addition, the guidelines translate scientific evidence into practical recommendations, allowing veterinary healthcare teams and dog owners to work together in the dog’s best interest.

What preventive healthcare guidelines apply to my dog?

The guidelines recommend that all dogs receive a complete veterinary examination at least once a year, although many dogs should be seen more frequently, depending on their individual needs and health concerns. The visit should include a review of the dog's recent history, lifestyle, life stage, daily activities, general behavior, and diet. The physical examination should include a dental assessment, pain assessment, and body condition scoring.

Will every visit with my veterinarian be the same for my dog?

Each visit will be different for several reasons.

• Medical knowledge and understanding of disease prevalence and processes is constantly expanding. The Canine Life Stage Guidelines are designed to be modified and updated as newer information becomes available.
• As dogs age, their needs change, and their risk for various diseases increases. Puppies have different preventive healthcare needs than young adults, and senior dogs have their own unique needs.

Year to year, the details of a dog’s veterinary visits will change, but the underlying emphasis will remain the same: maximizing your pet’s health, wellness, and quality of life.