We all love the cute little puppies in the pet store window and more than one have us has been swayed into taking home an adorable little fluff ball. The problem comes in when we do not understand the basic care a dog needs and how to get him that care. There are a number of reasons to take your dog to a veterinarian throughout his life time. When you first get your puppy or even a full grown adult dog you will want to take him to the veterinarian to have him checked out. Much like you take your child to a doctor for a well child exam, you will take your dog to a veterinarian, where he will get weighed, get his ears looked at, and the vet will listen to his breathing and heart. During this visit the vet will also give him his vaccinations, and check him for parasites such as fleas, worms and heart worms. Your veterinarian will schedule a follow up visit to complete his vaccinations, worming and anything else the vet may think he needs. After the initial visits you will need to take your dog to a veterinarian annually to be sure he is still in good health and that all his vaccinations stay up to date. During these visits your vet will do the recommended tests to check your dog for any diseases that his breed may be prone to, or any other diseases or conditions he may be concerned that your dog may be at risk of.

While we all hope that we will never have to take our dog to the veterinarian for anything other than wellness checks chances are good that your dog will need to make the trip for something else in his life time. It is important that you know and understand the signs of illness or injury that needs to be treated. Minor injuries such as broken nails, insect bites or wounds may or may not need treatment; if bleeding cannot be stopped then it will be time for a trip to the vet. If an insect sting or bite causes an allergic reaction you will also want to take your dog to the vet. More serious illness should always be a reason to take your dog to the veterinarian, since dogs cannot talk or let you know where it hurts a dog that is in serious pain or show unremitting symptoms such as vomiting or bloody diarrhea needs to been soon as soon as possible to be sure that serious illness or injury are treated right away. Other reasons to take your dog directly to the vet include eye trauma, after being hit by a car, bit by a snake, high fever or seizures. If you need to take your dog to a veterinarian but do not yet have a family vet then check out Dog Kare, they have a list of veterinarians in every state, along with a list of trainers, groomers, kennels and more.