Things a veterinarian will look for include function of all of the pet's major organ systems, signs of birth defects and abnormal disease, proper mental function and injury.

Also to be discussed is vaccination schedules, spay or neutering, training/behavior and proper nutrition.

The best time to have this done is at an age of about 6-8 weeks depending on the situation.

Geriatric exam

A geriatric examination should be done by a veterinarian who knows the animal from previous care -- another great reason for beginning with a new-puppy examination with the same veterinarian.

The primary difference in examining older dogs versus new pups is the older dog -- like older people -- needs a more comprehensive examination, which could include blood work, a urine specimen, a fresh stool specimen, radiographs or X-rays, and more.

Veterinarians differ a little in how they conduct their exams and can save an owner money if they know the animal and the owner ahead of time.

As for how often a geriatric dog should have, say, blood tests depends on the dog and the owner to a large extent. If the owner chooses to pay for only one test a year, that will be honored by the veterinarian even though the best medicine may indicate the dog needs more frequent tests. If the dog has certain conditions, monitoring may even be more important and more frequent.

To prepare for any visit, make sure you have copies of any vaccination records your dog may have, but remember if you use the same veterinarian those should already be available. Plan a time for the visit that is convenient for you and make sure your dog is properly restrained on a leash or in its crate.

Dr. Raelynn Farnsworth

Farnsworth is a clinical assistant professor at WSU's Small
Animal Community Practice service in Pullman. She is a 1993 graduate of
WSU's College of Veterinary Medicine and did a small-animal medicine and
surgery internship at Ohio State University. Her special interests are general small animal practice and dentistry.

Read our previous Q&As:

Veterinary QA: What dogs can safely chew
Veterinary QA: Why does it cost so much to clean a dog's teeth?
Veterinary QA follow-up: More on cleaning a dog's teeth
Veterinary QA: When to spay or neuter

Do you have a question about pet health? Ask now! We'll pose some of your questions to a local vet in an upcoming post.