Dog check up?

Rasheed

I have a 7 year old collie. I have never brought him to the vet since he was a pup and broke his leg.

I was just wondering, now that he's getting on, should I bring him for a check up to the vet?

He's in great form generally, eats well, does be outside roaming about the farm with us, gets regular doses for flees and worms etc but is this enough?

kassie

It goes without saying that if you are at all concerned about your dogs health then bring him to the vet.

But if he is in good form, eating and drinking normally, toileting normally and has good mobility then there is no need for concern. Maybe just treat him to a softer bed and some cod liver oil/tabs to help protect and maintain his aging joints, you could have him for another 7 years yet!!!!

kylith

I bring mine for a check up and booster every year. It's about the only way you can catch some things before they become a big problem.

kassie

In my experience boosters aren't a necessity, any dog (bar one) that i've ever owned (including when i was younger) only ever got their puppy shots and they all lived to a rip old age, in fact one is still alive at 15 almost 16. My own two smaller dogs have only ever had their puppy shots and both have never had any health problems and are 6 and 7 now!

SillyMangoX

When a dog is around the 7-8 mark they are classed as geriactric, so it might be no harm to have a check up to make sure he is still in the best shape, check for any heart murmurs, kidney disease those kind of things. Its not necessary but may put your mind at ease!

xxXCuteypieXxx

Sure why wouldnt you bring it to the vets a check up only costs about €40 and it wouldnt take longer than half an hour. its a small price to pay to make sure your dog is healthy!

kassie

€40 can be a lot of money for some people to hand over nowadays!

Bottom line is if you are concerned or want your mind put at ease (and you can afford it) bring you dog in!

kylith

kassie wrote: »

In my experience boosters aren't a necessity, any dog (bar one) that i've ever owned (including when i was younger) only ever got their puppy shots and they all lived to a rip old age, in fact one is still alive at 15 almost 16. My own two smaller dogs have only ever had their puppy shots and both have never had any health problems and are 6 and 7 now!

Some people say that, but I prefer to have mine up to date, just in case I have to book them into kennels for any reason. It's also the only way to pick up on some health problems. I started a thread the other day because at this year's check up my vet picked up a potential arrhythmia in my older dog, and now I can get it confirmed and medicated. If I didn't bring her to the vet I wouldn't have known that there was a potential problem until it was too late and my dog had started to suffer; this way I can get her on medication, if necessary, before she suffers and loss in quality of life.

Sigma Force

Do you bring him for yearly check ups? If not that's the least amount you should do, some people don't vaccinate their dogs yearly but tbh noone knows when they will have to rush their dogs to boarding kennels (family emergencies or owner ends up in hospital or the like) so an annual booster is important.
There's still a big debate on wether to vaccinate every year I guess that's up to individual owners but a dog should be brought to the vets regardless at least once a year for a check up and as they get older (7yrs plus) they deffo should be brought once a year.

The vet needs to check the heart, lungs, glands, joints etc. but also ensure the vet checks the dogs teeth. So much can happen to a dog in a year that an owner might not notice, our middle dog has a heart murmur now but she didn't have one last year it's nothing serious but it's something that we would not of known if we hadn't brought her for her yearly check up.

It'll give you piece of mind, and no harm in getting everything checked now before Xmas kicks in.

Rasheed

Thanks everyone for their replies. He seems very healthy to me but was just wondering what most people did yearly.

I'd just be a bit more worried since he's a pure bred and their breed are not supposed to be hardy.

When you talk about yearly vaccines, vaccines for what?

lorebringer

Rasheed wrote: »

Thanks everyone for their replies. He seems very healthy to me but was just wondering what most people did yearly.

I'd just be a bit more worried since he's a pure bred and their breed are not supposed to be hardy.

When you talk about yearly vaccines, vaccines for what?

When your dog was a puppy (I'm assuming) he recieved a course of vaccines to protect him against very serious diseases (usually, it's a 7 in1). Some of these vaccines need to be topped up (depending on the vaccine, it could be every year, every three years etc.) to give the dog full protection against these diseases (Leptospirosis is the one that comes to mind - Weils disease - that needs to be done yearly). I don't want to start a debate about frequency of vaccines but IMO a dog should be seen yearly by a vet and appropriate vaccines given at this time.

If your dog has not been vaccinated in6/7 years, and has also not seen a vet in this time, it would be a good idea to bring him in for a once over and full check up, and to talk to the vet about your options vaccination wise to make sure you are fully informed. Some people think puppy vaccines are enough, some think every three years is enough and some think yearly is the safest way to go but you need to decide for yourself about what is best for your dog! If he did not recieve the full course of puppy vaccines, he will need to be done as he will not be covered against any of the diseases. Also, because you have left it so long, he may need a full re-do of the puppy vaccine course. Talk to the vet about the best options for your dog.

Rasheed

lorebringer wrote: »

When your dog was a puppy (I'm assuming) he recieved a course of vaccines to protect him against very serious diseases (usually, it's a 7 in1). Some of these vaccines need to be topped up (depending on the vaccine, it could be every year, every three years etc.) to give the dog full protection against these diseases (Leptospirosis is the one that comes to mind - Weils disease - that needs to be done yearly). I don't want to start a debate about frequency of vaccines but IMO a dog should be seen yearly by a vet and appropriate vaccines given at this time.

If your dog has not been vaccinated in6/7 years, and has also not seen a vet in this time, it would be a good idea to bring him in for a once over and full check up, and to talk to the vet about your options vaccination wise to make sure you are fully informed. Some people think puppy vaccines are enough, some think every three years is enough and some think yearly is the safest way to go but you need to decide for yourself about what is best for your dog! If he did not recieve the full course of puppy vaccines, he will need to be done as he will not be covered against any of the diseases. Also, because you have left it so long, he may need a full re-do of the puppy vaccine course. Talk to the vet about the best options for your dog.

Grand, yes I got him when he was 5 months and I honestly can't remember if his original owner told me he was vaccinated!

I think to put my mind at ease and bring him for a check up.

I'd be so afraid that there would be something brewing there, hopefully he's sound though, I don't know what I'd do without him!

Thanks everyone!

ShaShaBear

Id agree with bringing him, I'm in an identical position with my collie, who just turned 8 (with the mentality of a pup). He's only ever been at the vet once - to be neutered. But now he's 8 and we've moved to an area where a few dogs roam, I want to get him checked out and vaccinated and make sure his weight and such is on the level. Even seeing the grey on his snout can set me off on a few tears, so the more I can do for him, the more comfortable his senior years will be

Sigma Force

If you don't know if he was ever vaccinated I'd get him done just in case, parvo can hit any animal but effects younger and older dogs the worst it's a horrible disease not to mention all the other ones.

You might choose not to vaccinate him again after that but at least get the initial ones done.

If once a year to the vet is too pricey for some people then they shouldn't own a pet, yes I know there are various charities that offer low cost vet care and some free but really once a year..not going to kill anyone to spend a little on the animals welfare, that goes for other animals as well as dogs.

anniehoo

kassie wrote: »

But if he is in good form, eating and drinking normally, toileting normally and has good mobility then there is no need for concern.

I would agree with you to a point. Up to now the chances are not going for regular checkups would be ok, but now that his dog is further along into middle age i would most definitely recommend a yearly checkup. It was mentioned above that there is a myriad of issues that would never be spotted by a normal owner like the arythmia mentioned above. The same happened with my dog where checking her lymph nodes would not be something i would ever have done and it was by chance that i had her at the vets where she was diagnosed with lymphoma. Without this accidental visit it would've went undiagnosed and without a doubt wouldnt have lasted the year had it not been caught in time.

DBB

+1000 on Anniehoo's post!
There are so many conditions which are common in ageing dogs and cats, which if caught early, can be stopped from being life-threatening, or at least prolong life. What's more, and this is often overlooked, early treatment of many common chronic conditions associated with age can seriously improve quality of life, often for years into old-age.
It seems to me that the age of ~10ish is a seriously dodgy time for dogs, an age when many die, or descend into chronic ill health, and I'm quite sure that if many of these dogs had had pre-emptive veterinary supervision, testing, and treatment, they'd live beyond this risky age group. It reminds me of people in their 50's or early 60's, a big risk age group for heart problems, diabetes, and cancers... If you make it past this age group, chances are you'll be around for a good while longer!

Mo60

DBB wrote: »

+1000 on Anniehoo's post!
It reminds me of people in their 50's or early 60's, a big risk age group for heart problems, diabetes, and cancers... If you make it past this age group, chances are you'll be around for a good while longer!

You've made my day - hope you are right

meoklmrk91

To anyone who questions whether vaccines are worth it, in fairness if you ever watched a dog suffer and die from Parvo or lepto then you would vaccinate your pet in a heartbeat, it is one of the most heartbreaking things you will ever see and the smell of Parvo will stay with you for life.