A puppy or kitten sees the vet every 3–4 weeks from 6–8 to 16 weeks, then again at six months and at one year. An adult dog or cat needs one routine check-up a year. Senior pets need one every six months: disease moves faster at that age, and cats are especially good at hiding it.
01The schedule by age
Age
How often
What happens
6–16 weeks
every 3–4 weeks
exam, vaccine series, fecal test, deworming
Around 6 months
one visit
dental check, spay or neuter discussion
Around 12 months
one visit
full exam, boosters, switch to the adult plan
Dogs 1–7 years, cats 1–10
once a year
exam, weight, teeth, vaccines, fecal test
Senior pets
every 6 months
exam, blood and urine tests, blood pressure
The first visits coincide with the vaccine series, so there is nothing extra to plan — the vet examines the puppy at every appointment of the series. The full schedule of that series is in the puppy vaccination schedule.
02When a pet counts as senior
For cats the line is 11 years. For dogs it depends on size, because larger breeds age faster: the gap between a small dog and a giant one reaches three years.
Dog size
Senior from
Life expectancy
Under 10 kg
8 years
12–16 years
10–25 kg
7 years
10–14 years
25–45 kg
6 years
8–12 years
Over 45 kg
5 years
6–10 years
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), which defined these stages, adds a caveat: age is not the only marker. Breed, genetics and current health shift the line too, so the decision to move to twice-yearly check-ups belongs to your vet.
03What the yearly check-up covers
a full exam: eyes, ears, teeth, skin, lymph nodes, heart and lungs, abdomen;
weighing and a body condition score on the 9-point scale;
any vaccines that have come due;
a yearly fecal test, plus a heartworm test for dogs;
a conversation about food, behaviour and exercise.
There is one more item owners rarely know about: by 3–5 years of age it is worth running a complete blood count and a chemistry panel while the pet is healthy. That is a baseline — years later it lets the vet spot a shift that would otherwise pass as this animal’s normal. Which vaccines belong in an adult dog’s yearly visit is covered in a separate article.
04Why seniors need twice the visits
In an older animal disease develops faster, so a year without an exam is a long stretch. Cats also hide discomfort well, which is why owners notice problems late. At the six-month visits the vet adds blood and urine tests every 6–12 months, a thyroid check once a year, and blood pressure, dental status, joint pain and memory assessment at every appointment. Kidney disease is often caught by the urine test, before anything shows in the blood.
Platera reminds you about the routine check-up
Exams, vaccines and weight in one plan, with no paper record cards.
Platera9:00 AM
Mia’s booster shot is tomorrow — clinic at 12:00
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05Frequently asked
Does a healthy cat need to see the vet?
Yes, once a year. Cats hide discomfort well, and a routine exam turns up what an owner cannot see: dental problems, weight changes, a heart murmur. From 11 years of age that exam is needed every six months.
At what age is a dog considered senior?
It depends on size: giant breeds over 45 kg from 5 years, large dogs of 25–45 kg from 6, medium dogs of 10–25 kg from 7, and small dogs under 10 kg from 8. Larger dogs age faster and live shorter lives, so they move to twice-yearly exams earlier.
How often should you weigh a pet at home?
A puppy or kitten every 2–4 weeks, an adult once a month, a senior every 1–2 weeks. What should worry you is unintended loss of more than 5%: in a 5 kg cat that is just 250 grams, and it is already worth a vet visit.
How many vet visits does a puppy need in the first year?
Usually five: three visits between 6–8 and 16 weeks, every 3–4 weeks alongside the vaccine series, then a check-up around 6 months and a full exam at one year. After that the pet moves to the adult schedule of one visit a year.
When should a pet have its first blood work?
By 3–5 years of age, while the pet is healthy. A complete blood count and chemistry panel at that point are not a search for disease but a baseline: with it, a later shift stands out that would otherwise look like this animal’s normal.
CHECK-UP · HOW OFTEN
