An annual physical exam by a doctor and semi-annual visit to the dentist are generally considered the cornerstones of good, quality health care for people.

But what about our pets? How often should they visit their veterinarian for a routine wellness exam?

I tell pet owners every dog and cat should receive a checkup every six months. The reason for this has to do with the way our pets age.

On average, by age 2, most dogs and cats have already reached adulthood.

Age 4 is considered middle aged. By age 7, many pets are entering their senior years. These are averages. Size, breed, nutrition and lifestyle play a role in aging too. Typically, large dog breeds age more rapidly than smaller breeds, thinner pets live longer than overweight ones, and pets that have good dental health get extra sand put in their longevity hourglass.

Why is taking care of pets’ teeth so important, you might ask? Eighty-five percent of pet dogs and cats have periodontal disease, making this the No. 1 health problem identified in pets today explains Dr. J. Veronika Kiklevich, of Dr. K’s Veterinary Dental Services, in Boerne, Texas.

“This treatable and preventable condition can be addressed when you visit your veterinarian to improve the overall health of your pet,” he says. “It will also make nose to nose pet encounters and slurpy kisses a lot more enjoyable!”

Because dogs and cats age more rapidly than people, significant health changes can occur in a short amount of time. Also, our pets do not typically “complain” at the first sign of problems either, so early detection of problems is key to maintaining a healthy pet. The risks of cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, heart disease and other serious conditions all increase with age. And, because today’s pets are living longer, the chances are many will experience a potentially serious, but preventable or treatable illness, during their lifetime.

Dr. Sandy Wright, of Diplomate American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and small animal internal medicine consultant explains that in her role as an internal medicine consultant to veterinarians, she often discusses cases where the disease is quite advanced, more difficult and more costly to treat.

“The long term survival for many conditions, such as renal disease and cancer, improves if we catch it early on,” Wright says. “Remember that pets are generally healthy. Any period of not eating, drinking excessively, losing weight and feeling lousy for only a few days may be the early sign of significant disease and warrants a visit to your veterinarian.”

When you consider the pet aging process, taking your dog or cat to the veterinarian just once a year is equivalent to seeing your physician or dentist about once every seven years. Most people wouldn’t wait seven years to see a doctor or a dentist, so pets shouldn’t wait a whole year to see their veterinarian.

Twice yearly exams give your veterinarian the opportunity to detect, treat or, ideally, prevent problems before they become life-threatening and expensive to treat. These visits are also important for another reason: they provide the ideal time and setting for building a strong client-patient-doctor relationship. Keeping a good health history on your pet and informing your veterinarian about what’s going on in-between visits, are important factors in the ongoing care and treatment of your pet throughout its lifetime.