When it comes to your dog or cat, nothing is more important than keeping them healthy and happy. Veterinarians, like Dr. Yoko Haneda at Kapolei Pet Hospital in Hawaii, recommends regular checkups at the vet to make sure your pet has the best possible health, but how often you should go depends on the age of your pet.

With pet age as a starting point, below, is Dr. Haneda’s guide to how often you and your furry friend should head to the veterinarian for checkups: 

Pet Vaccinations

When your kitten or puppy is a baby, they’ll need shots from the veterinarian to vaccinate against some of the most common diseases. The schedule for these pet vaccinations is a round of shots approximately every month until your pet is 16 weeks old.  

At six months of age, the veterinarian will spay or neuter them at the pet clinic. This doesn’t only prevent them from unwanted pregnancy, but it also helps to protect against several other diseases. Before the spaying or neutering, however, the veterinarian will use the opportunity to make sure your pet is developing well physically and socially.

Adulthood

During adulthood, vets recommend one checkup at the pet clinic every year for your pet’s health to be monitored. The age range differs whether you have a dog or a cat, and which breed. Larger dogs should get the yearly checkup yearly until age seven or so, but small dogs could do it until they’re a few years older.

Old Age

For pets in upper middle and old age, checkups twice per year are ideal. Just like with humans, health problems become more likely and become difficult to treat the longer they’re ignored and the older the pet becomes. This makes early detection of diseases all the more important during this phase of life.

If you’ve procrastinated with your pet’s health checkup, call Kapolei Pet Hospital at (808) 462-8040 to make an appointment. With advanced clinical equipment and veterinary experts, Kapolei Pet Hospital provides everything from dental care to stem cell treatment for pets. Visit the website to learn more about their top-of-the-line facilities.