My inherited 5-year-old dog never saw a vet. What care is needed?

Question

Hi, recently inherited my grandmothers dog and she's a 5 year old American Lab. But I don't think she's ever been to the vet. How should i go about this to get the proper care for her? Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Female | unspayed

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

Great question! First off, I'm sorry that you recently lost your grandmother, please accept my condolences. Secondly, good on you for wanting Bella to have proper veterinary care, that's awesome! Bella will need her vaccines. These vaccines include a combination shot that protects against distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis, and parainfluenza (DHPPi), and a rabies vaccine as well. I see you live in California, and rabies vaccines are required by law. You should make an appointment at the vet to have her vaccines done. While there, I also recommend having blood tests and a urinalysis done as well. These tests provide the vet with essential a survey of her organs and lets the vet know how they are functioning. She will also need a deworming treatment and flea treatment. I recommend Drontal for the deworming and Advantage or Revolution for the flea treatment. You can get both from the vet. Finally, I recommend heartworm treatment and having her test for heartworm before getting this treatment. It's always recommended to have a dog tested for heartworm before giving heartworm treatment, which is done with a blood test. I would try to have Bella seen by a vet this week for all of these things. In case you are concerned about the cost, I will give you some resources that may make affording a vet easier. I certainly hope this all helps you :-) To afford a vet: You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/

My inherited 5-year-old dog never saw a vet. What care is needed?

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