How Often Should a Senior Dog See the Vet? (Complete Schedule)

Every six months. That is twice as often as an adult dog. Dogs age roughly five to seven years for every one of ours, so twelve months between visits is a very long gap. Each senior visit should include a full physical exam, a recorded weight, blood work and a urine test. Dogs with a chronic condition, or those on long-term medication, often need checking every three to four months instead.

It depends on size. Giant breeds over 40 kg are usually senior by five or six. Large breeds around 23 to 40 kg reach it at seven or eight. Medium dogs at eight to ten. Small breeds under 9 kg often not until ten or eleven. Bigger dogs grow faster, mature sooner and have shorter lifespans, so senior screening should start earlier for them. If you own a giant breed, begin at around five rather than waiting for seven.

Yes, and it is the most valuable addition to a senior check-up. A physical exam cannot see kidney function, liver enzymes, blood sugar or thyroid levels, and those decline silently. Kidney disease in particular loses a large share of function before anything is visible externally. Regular blood work also builds a baseline for your individual dog, which makes a future change far easier to spot than a single isolated result ever could.

A full nose-to-tail physical, weight and body condition scoring, blood work, a urine test, a dental assessment, and a mobility and pain check. From around age eight, blood pressure and a thyroid test are usually added. Vaccinations and parasite control are reviewed too. If your clinic only offers a basic physical, ask specifically for the blood and urine testing, because those are where silent disease shows up first.

Modern veterinary anaesthesia is considerably safer than most owners assume, particularly with pre-anaesthetic blood work, intravenous fluids and proper monitoring. Age itself is not a disease and is not a reason to decline treatment. What matters is your dog’s individual health status. Weigh the anaesthetic risk against the reality of untreated dental infection, which means chronic pain, difficulty eating and a constant bacterial load. Ask your vet to explain the specific risk for your specific dog.

Seeming healthy is exactly why the visit is valuable. Dogs instinctively conceal illness, so they greet you, eat normally and wag their tail while managing a real problem. Most senior conditions are silent in their early stages, which is also when they are most treatable. A wellness visit on a well dog is not a wasted appointment. It is how you establish the baseline that makes a future change obvious.

It varies widely by country and clinic, so any single figure would be misleading. What is consistent is the comparison. A planned senior wellness visit with blood work is predictable and modest. An emergency visit for advanced kidney disease, a dental abscess or an undiagnosed tumour is neither, and it arrives with worse treatment options attached. Many clinics offer bundled senior packages at a lower combined price, but rarely advertise them, so ask directly.

Anything that has changed since the last visit, however trivial it seemed. Drinking, appetite, toileting, energy, sleep, mobility, mood and any new lumps. Bring a written list, because it is easy to forget once you are in the room. A dated weight record from home is genuinely useful, as is a short video of anything intermittent such as a limp or a cough. Also list every supplement and medication, since some interact with prescriptions.

Usually yes, but the schedule is often tailored rather than automatic. Many core vaccines provide protection for three years rather than one, and your vet may assess lifestyle and risk to decide what your dog actually needs. Some clinics offer antibody titre testing to check existing immunity before revaccinating. Parasite prevention remains important throughout life. This is a conversation to have at the wellness visit rather than a decision to make on your own.