Annual wellness exams are the foundation of preventive care, but most dog owners arrive unprepared to make the most of those fifteen minutes. A little homework before your appointment closes the gap.
What to bring
A fecal sample. Most clinics want one collected within 24 hours. Use the sample container your vet provides or a sealed ziplock bag. Intestinal parasites are common and often asymptomatic.
A list of current medications and supplements. Include dosages and frequency. Over-the-counter supplements, flea preventatives, and joint chews all matter because they interact with diagnostics and prescriptions.
A record of any behavioral changes. Vets are trained to notice physical symptoms; behavioral shifts — increased thirst, changes in sleep, reluctance to jump — often precede clinical signs and deserve attention.
Questions worth asking
Every dog’s risk profile changes with age. Ask your vet which screenings are now relevant. A five-year-old Labrador has different priorities than a two-year-old mixed breed.
- Is my dog’s weight on track? Ask for the body condition score in writing.
- Should we run baseline bloodwork this year?
- What dental cleaning schedule makes sense given their current tooth condition?
- Are there any breed-specific risks I should be monitoring?
After the appointment
File the visit summary somewhere you can find it. Take a photo of the physical record if the clinic doesn’t have a digital portal. When something changes six months later, that baseline is invaluable.
The most effective owners treat vet visits as collaborative — you know your dog’s daily life, your vet knows the clinical picture. Combining both makes the exam far more useful than a passive checkup.