ASK DR. B!

Read a question and answer from our archives here, and scroll down to ask me a question you and your pet have been pondering!  Check articles and questions others have asked using the Ask Dr. B and Pet Conditions buttons, and check our stories, too. Please note: if you believe your pet's situation is critical, Dr. Baum urges you to contact your vet ASAP.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE BRING OUR DOG IN FOR A CHECKUP, DR. B?

Dear Dr. Baum --

We bring our little dog to see you when he needs his teeth cleaned (about once a year − he's a Maltese poodle), but I feel that we should bring him in more often just for a check up and to make sure he's doing okay. My husband thinks I'm nuts, because he's not exhibiting any real problems. Maybe I'm just a worry wort, but do you think it's important to bring him in once a year or a check up or only if we sense he has some problem. He's our only "kid," so he's very well looked after by us and my husband works out of the home so he's with Babe all day.

Thanks,
Dana, Los Angeles, CA

Dear Dana:

It is a good idea to have yearly checkups to catch any small problems before they become big problems. If everything is OK, at least you'll have peace of mind.

Good Luck!!
Dr. B

Ask Dr. B a question or go back to:

Privacy information: Please note your permission to post your question allows us to share the information with other pets and their owners who may have the same issues to consider. We also reserve the right to publish questions and answers in other media. We never sell your email address or other information to third parties. Please check our privacy policy for details.