You should take your pet to the veterinarian or pet hospital at least once a year for a wellness exam. If your dog or cat is a senior (seven years of age and over on average) they should be seen by their doctor once every six months. Pets’ bodies age much more rapidly than the human body so there can be big changes over the course of a year. Some of these changes can be negative but manageable if caught early.

You will definitely have to consider neutering as part of your responsibility as a pet owner. Spaying and neutering is highly advisable if you do not plan on breeding your companion animals. Male dogs and cats that aren’t neutered, while maintaining their ability to populate the neighborhood, are at greater risk for some cancers than their altered friends. Female dogs and cats that aren’t spayed are also susceptible to cancers of the reproductive organs, including the mammary glands, as well as infections.

Neutering a male dog will inhibit his desire to roam when there is a nearby (within a mile range) female in heat. Without testosterone coursing through his body, that girl down the road won’t smell quite so appealing!