Checkups and tests
Checkups and tests for your pet
Pick your pet and their age to see which tests veterinarians recommend for a healthy animal, and how often each one comes around.
These are for a healthy pet. If something is wrong, your veterinarian will test for that instead. Nothing here is a diagnosis, and your veterinarian decides what your pet actually needs.
Puppy
Up to about 6 to 9 months old
Birth to the end of rapid growth (about 6 to 9 months, varying with breed and size)
- Poop test for wormsOn the paperwork: Fecal exam for intestinal parasites4 times in year one
- Heartworm testOn the paperwork: Heartworm antigen testStarts at 7 to 12 months old
Puppies frequently carry intestinal parasites, hence repeated fecal exams in year one. Establish the veterinary relationship and core vaccine series during this stage.
What you should do
- Book the first visit as soon as you bring them home.
- Expect to go back every 2 to 4 weeks until about 16 weeks old.
- Ask for a printed copy of the shot record at every visit.
- Bring a stool sample. Worms are very common at this age.
These are for a healthy pet. If something is wrong, your veterinarian will test for that instead. Nothing here is a diagnosis, and your veterinarian decides what your pet actually needs.
Young Adult
About 9 months to 3 or 4 years old
End of rapid growth to full physical and social maturity (commonly cited up to about 3 to 4 years; defined by maturation, not a fixed age)
- Heartworm testOn the paperwork: Heartworm antigen testOnce a year
- Tick disease testOn the paperwork: Tick-borne disease screenOnce a year
- Poop test for wormsOn the paperwork: Fecal exam for parasites1 to 4 times a year
- Blood count testOn the paperwork: CBCOnce, while healthy
- Organ blood testOn the paperwork: Serum chemistry (minimum: total protein, albumin, ALT, glucose, BUN, creatinine, SDMA if available)Once, while healthy
- Urine testOn the paperwork: UrinalysisOnce, while healthy
The goal at this stage is to establish a baseline minimum database that later results are trended against.
Mature Adult
About 4 to 7 years old, or sooner for big dogs
Full maturity until the last 25 percent of estimated lifespan (breed and size dependent)
- Heartworm testOn the paperwork: Heartworm antigen testOnce a year
- Tick disease testOn the paperwork: Tick-borne disease screenOnce a year
- Poop test for wormsOn the paperwork: Fecal exam for parasites1 to 4 times a year
- Blood count testOn the paperwork: CBCOnce a year
- Organ blood testOn the paperwork: Serum chemistryOnce a year
- Urine testOn the paperwork: UrinalysisOnce a year
Early disease detection at this stage and the senior stage supports a longer, healthier life.
What you should do
- Go once a year, even when nothing seems wrong.
- Ask for a copy of the bloodwork, not just "everything looks fine".
- Keep every record in one place. This is when they scatter.
- Ask your veterinarian which risk-based shots your pet actually needs.
These are for a healthy pet. If something is wrong, your veterinarian will test for that instead. Nothing here is a diagnosis, and your veterinarian decides what your pet actually needs.
Senior
About 7 years and older, or 5+ for big dogs
The last 25 percent of estimated lifespan through end of life (breed and size dependent)
- Heartworm testOn the paperwork: Heartworm antigen testOnce a year
- Tick disease testOn the paperwork: Tick-borne disease screenOnce a year
- Poop test for wormsOn the paperwork: Fecal exam for parasites1 to 4 times a year
- Blood count testOn the paperwork: CBCEvery 6 to 12 months
- Full organ blood testOn the paperwork: Serum chemistry (comprehensive)Every 6 to 12 months
- Urine testOn the paperwork: UrinalysisEvery 6 to 12 months
Senior dogs should have at least semiannual wellness exams, with diagnostic screening twice yearly.
What you should do
- Move to checkups twice a year instead of once.
- Get a weight at every visit and keep the numbers in a row.
- Write down changes you notice, with the month they started.
- Ask your veterinarian to compare new labs against the older ones.
These are for a healthy pet. If something is wrong, your veterinarian will test for that instead. Nothing here is a diagnosis, and your veterinarian decides what your pet actually needs.
Kitten
Up to 1 year old
Birth to 1 year
- Poop test for wormsOn the paperwork: Fecal and intestinal parasite examAt kitten visits
- Feline leukemia and FIV testOn the paperwork: FeLV and FIV retrovirus testingWhen you first get them
- Blood count testOn the paperwork: CBCOnce, while healthy
- Organ blood testOn the paperwork: Serum chemistryOnce, while healthy
- Urine testOn the paperwork: UrinalysisOnce, while healthy
Establish every kitten's retroviral status at acquisition and test before FeLV/FIV vaccination. Minimum annual wellness exam.
What you should do
- Book the first visit as soon as you bring them home.
- Expect to go back every 2 to 4 weeks until about 16 weeks old.
- Ask for a printed copy of the shot record at every visit.
- Bring a stool sample. Worms are very common at this age.
These are for a healthy pet. If something is wrong, your veterinarian will test for that instead. Nothing here is a diagnosis, and your veterinarian decides what your pet actually needs.
Young Adult
1 to 6 years old
1 to 6 years
- Blood count testOn the paperwork: CBCOnce, then as needed
- Organ blood testOn the paperwork: Serum chemistryOnce, then as needed
- Urine testOn the paperwork: UrinalysisOnce, then as needed
- Thyroid testOn the paperwork: Total T4Once, while healthy
- Blood pressure checkOn the paperwork: Blood pressureAsk your veterinarian
Establishes the baseline minimum database that later trends are compared against. Minimum annual wellness exam.
Mature Adult
7 to 10 years old
7 to 10 years
- Blood count testOn the paperwork: CBCEvery 1 to 2 years
- Organ blood testOn the paperwork: Serum chemistryEvery 1 to 2 years
- Urine testOn the paperwork: UrinalysisEvery 1 to 2 years
- Thyroid testOn the paperwork: Total T4Once a year
- Blood pressure checkOn the paperwork: Blood pressureAsk your veterinarian
The guideline explicitly advises strongly considering T4 testing in the apparently healthy mature adult cat.
What you should do
- Go once a year, even when nothing seems wrong.
- Ask for a copy of the bloodwork, not just "everything looks fine".
- Keep every record in one place. This is when they scatter.
- Ask your veterinarian which risk-based shots your pet actually needs.
These are for a healthy pet. If something is wrong, your veterinarian will test for that instead. Nothing here is a diagnosis, and your veterinarian decides what your pet actually needs.
Senior
Over 10 years old
Greater than 10 years
- Blood count testOn the paperwork: CBCOnce or twice a year
- Organ blood testOn the paperwork: Serum chemistryOnce or twice a year
- Urine testOn the paperwork: UrinalysisOnce or twice a year
- Thyroid testOn the paperwork: Total T4Once a year
- Blood pressure checkOn the paperwork: Blood pressureOnce a year
Wellness exam at least every 6 months; more frequent with chronic conditions. Diagnostic frequency increases with age and comorbidity.
What you should do
- Move to checkups twice a year instead of once.
- Get a weight at every visit and keep the numbers in a row.
- Write down changes you notice, with the month they started.
- Ask your veterinarian to compare new labs against the older ones.
Everything here is a recommendation from published veterinary guidelines, not a rule and not medical advice for your pet. Your veterinarian knows your pet, your region and your circumstances, and their advice comes first. Rabies is the exception people ask about: that one is set by state law, not by a guideline.