Services

Annual Checkup - Dogs

A yearly checkup is the best way to keep your pet as healthy as possible – because it’s much easier to prevent disease than to treat it.

Why A Checkup?

With regular checkups, your vet can spot problems at their earliest stages, when issues can often be addressed simply and cost effectively.

So, whether your dog frolics at the park with all the neighborhood pups, or the closest your cat gets to the great outdoors is a sunny windowsill, every pet needs to see their vet – at least once a year! For animals over ten years of age, we recommend a visit every six months to keep on top of any arthritis, dental, skin and coat changes. Remember: Pets age faster than we do, so missing even one yearly checkup can be like us not visiting a doctor for over five years!

A checkup is about a lot more than a vaccination. From nose to tail, here are some things your vet looks for during an annual checkup:

What Your Vet Looks For

Mouth

Bad breath can lead to more than a ‘no kisses’ policy. Your vet will check for tartar, inflammation and infections that can make your pet sick.

Ears

Your dog hears the treat cupboard open from a mile away. Your vet can help keep it that way with checks for infection and other ear problems.

Eyes

Who can resist those eyes? Your vet looks for signs of cataracts, glaucoma, infection, jaundice, allergies and more.

Abdomen

You’re great at giving belly rubs. Your vet is trained to feel for tumors, signs of pain and enlarged organs.

Body

When your vet gives Fido a rub down, they're checking body muscle tone, weight, and for enlarged lymph nodes that can be a sign of infection or disease.

Under The Tail

It’s not pretty, but your vet checks under the tail for anal gland issues, tapeworms and tumors.

Skin And Coat

Your vet will check for fleas, alopecia, skin infections and lumps and bumps.

Joints And Spine

Just like us, pets feel their age. Your vet will check the joints and spine for signs of pain and tenderness – so you can take a proactive approach to arthritis management.

Heart And Lungs

When your vet gets out the stethoscope, they're listening for heart murmurs and irregular beats. Even a low grade heart murmur needs special care.

The Samples

As you get older, your doctor runs blood tests to check various organ functions. MyVet recommends complete blood work on older animals every so often, to ensure their kidneys, liver, electrolytes and blood cells are all doing what they're meant to. These tests are run in Adelaide, and results are often available within a few hours.