A yearly veterinary visit is a lot like our human annual checkups! Your dog or cat may seem perfectly healthy on the outside, but preventive care helps our veterinarians look for changes that are not easy to spot at home. That’s one reason routine wellness visits matter so much: They can help catch concerns earlier, when there may be more options to manage them.
Along with a physical exam, your veterinarian may recommend screening tests, also called diagnostics. These tests can help build a baseline for what is normal for your pet and track changes over time. That baseline can be especially helpful later if your pet becomes sick, because it gives your veterinary team something to compare against. Diagnostics can also allow veterinarians to identify illness early before signs of disease show and when many problems are the most treatable.
What tests are done at a yearly vet visit for dogs and cats? The answer depends on your pet’s age, lifestyle, medical history, and anything our veterinarians find during the exam. But common recommendations may include bloodwork, urinalysis, and a fecal exam.
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What Are Annual Wellness Tests for Dogs and Cats?
Annual vet tests are screening tools used during preventive care visits. They are designed to look for clues about your pet’s health before obvious symptoms appear.
That matters because many pets are pros at hiding discomfort or illness. Cats are especially known for this, but dogs can do it too. A pet can keep eating, sleeping, and going about the day as usual while an early health issue is quietly developing under the surface.
Testing gives our veterinarians more information than a physical exam alone can provide. It adds another layer to your pet’s yearly care and helps create a more complete picture of overall health.
What Tests Might Be Included In a Yearly Vet Visit?
Not every pet will need the exact same diagnostics every year, but these are some of the most commonly recommended tests during wellness care.
1. Bloodwork
Bloodwork is one of the most useful ways to look at what may be happening inside your pet’s body. It often includes a complete blood count, which looks at red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, along with a chemistry panel, which checks values related to things like liver health, kidney health, blood sugar, hydration, and electrolytes. In simple terms, bloodwork can help your veterinarian look for patterns that suggest:
Anemia
Inflammation
Infection
Organ changes
Or other concerns
It’s also valuable for tracking trends over time. One pet’s normal may not look exactly like another’s, which is why yearly results can be so helpful. A value may still fall within a standard reference range, but if it has changed significantly from your pet’s previous results, that shift can still matter.
2. Urinalysis
A urinalysis examines a urine sample and can provide useful information about:
It may help identify blood, protein, glucose, crystals, inflammatory cells, or signs that additional evaluation is needed. Urinalysis can detect some diseases alone. But the best standard of care is when urinalysis is paired with a physical exam and bloodwork. When paired, it can give our veterinarians a clearer picture of what is going on. That is one reason it is often recommended as part of preventive screenings, especially for senior pets or pets with certain risk factors.
3. Fecal exam
Yes, the poop sample really is important! A fecal exam checks a stool sample for intestinal parasites and parasite eggs that may not be visible just by looking at it. Even pets with normal-looking stools and no obvious digestive signs can have parasites. Because of that, fecal testing is a useful part of preventive care for many dogs and cats. It may not be the most glamorous part of a vet visit, but it is one of the most practical. Sometimes the least exciting sample gives the most helpful information. Make sure that the poop sample you bring with you is:
Why Do Dogs and Cats Need Annual Testing If They Seem Healthy?
Because “looks” fine and “is” fine are not always the same thing. Many common health problems start with subtle internal changes long before a pet acts sick. Routine diagnostics can help our veterinarians spot those changes earlier. That can lead to earlier monitoring, lifestyle adjustments, or treatment recommendations, depending on what is found. Yearly testing also helps establish your pet’s baseline. Think of it like yearly lab work for people. If you only run tests after a problem is obvious, you lose the chance to compare current results with a healthy starting point.
That comparison can be especially helpful as pets age. Senior pets often need closer monitoring because the risk of age-related health issues increase over time.
How Often Should Pets Get Bloodwork and Other Tests?
For many dogs and cats, a yearly wellness visit is the foundation of preventive care. But the exact testing schedule is not one-size-fits-all.
Our veterinarians may recommend more frequent diagnostics for senior pets, pets with chronic conditions, or pets with lifestyle risks that increase their chances of exposure to parasites or other health concerns. Younger, healthy pets may not always need the same screening plan as an older pet who is already being monitored for changes.
That is why our veterinarians’ recommendations matter. The best screening plan is the one tailored to your pet, not the one copied from another dog or cat.
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What Happens If You Skip Annual Diagnostics?
Skipping diagnostics does not automatically mean something will go wrong. But it can mean missing the opportunity to catch a problem earlier.
Without routine screening, some changes may go unnoticed until your pet starts showing symptoms. By then, the issue may be more advanced and may require more involved care. Preventive testing helps your veterinarian look for concerns sooner, track trends more accurately, and guide recommendations with more confidence.
In other words, these tests are not about doing more for the sake of doing more. They are about getting useful information before your pet’s health gets worse.
FAQs About Yearly Vet Tests for Dogs and Cats
Do indoor cats need yearly testing?
Indoor cats still benefit from yearly wellness visits, and screening tests may be recommended based on age, health history, and our veterinarians’ exam findings. Living indoors can lower some risks, but it does not prevent every hidden health issue.
Do dogs need bloodwork every year?
Many dogs benefit from routine bloodwork as part of preventive care, especially because it helps establish a baseline and track changes over time. Our veterinarians can recommend the right schedule based on your dog’s age, breed, lifestyle, and medical history.
What does a fecal test check for?
A fecal test is commonly used to check for intestinal parasites and parasite eggs that may not be visible in the stool itself.
How much does a yearly vet visit cost?
Costs vary depending on the hospital, the diagnostics recommended, and your pet’s individual needs. If you’re planning ahead for routine primary care, ask our hospitals what is typically included in a wellness visit and whether membership options may help with ongoing care.
At select primary care hospitals, Thrive Plus helps make it easier to say yes to recommended care with benefits like unlimited free exams, 10% off services (including diagnostics!), 24/7 pet advice via HereFurYou Helpline powered by whiskerDocs®, $5 basic nail trims, and exclusive offers year-round.*
When it is time for your pet’s next checkup, do not wait for symptoms to make the decision for you.
* Unlimited free exams apply to general practice exams only, and hospital fees apply. See full terms for excluded services. If it is an emergency, take your pet now to the nearest veterinary emergency hospital. This service does not diagnose or prescribe and is not a substitute for a visit to our hospital. Although whiskerDocs® team members are credentialed veterinary technicians, they do not operate as such in this context. Rather, they will provide you with information so that you can make the best decision on behalf of your pet. In many cases, they will recommend you see a licensed veterinarian in your state for treatment.
