Yearly Examinations - China Grove Animal Hospital

One of the most important and often most neglected things we can do to protect the health of our pets is a yearly examination and twice yearly exams in dogs over 7 years of age. The purpose of the examination is to find problems as early as we can. The earlier we find problems, the better the chance we will have of treating that problem with a successful outcome!

Things we check on a physical exam:

Eyes
Ears
Nose
Oral cavity
Teeth and gums
Heart
Lungs
Throat
Abdomen
Lymphnodes
Hair and skin
Nervous system
Reproductive system
Muscles and Bones
Weight and Body Condition

Remember that dogs age more quickly than we do. A yearly exam for a dog is similar to us getting an exam every 5-7 years. A lot of changes can happen in that amount of time.

The following is an age comparison chart by weight for dogs.

Relative Age of Pets in Human Years

PET'S AGE		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
PET'S AGE
WEIGHT	0-20	15	23	28	32	36	40	44	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96
	21-50	15	24	29	34	38	42	47	51	56	60	65	69	74	78	83	87	92	96	101	105
	51-90	14	22	29	34	40	45	50	55	61	66	72	77	82	88	93	99	104	109	115	120
	90+	12	20	28	35	42	49	56	64	71	78	86	93	101	108	115	123	___	___	__	___

__ = Growth ___ = Senior

Many problems are first discovered by very observant pet owners. Get to know your dog well so you can notice problems that may arise before the next scheduled exam. Become an active member in the preventative health care of your pet.