A dog’s guide to why preventive care matters—even when you feel perfectly fine

My name is Bubba.

You may remember me from my very important fall inspection of the backyard.

I’m a five-year-old Black Mouth Cur mix, professional squirrel investigator, part-time fence inspector and full-time expert in finding the exact spot on the couch that my humans were planning to sit on.

I’m also apparently celebrating something this month.

October is National Pet Wellness Month.

At first, I wasn’t sure what that meant.

My humans explained that wellness is about keeping me healthy, not just taking me to the veterinarian when something is wrong.

Honestly, I have some thoughts about this.

I feel fine. Do I really need a checkup?

Yes.

I know. I don’t understand it either.

If I’m eating, playing, running around the yard and enthusiastically greeting anyone who comes to the door, my humans assume I’m perfectly healthy.

But here’s the thing: pets are really good at hiding subtle signs that something isn’t quite right.

I can’t tell my family that my teeth hurt.

I can’t tell them that my ears have been bothering me for weeks.

I can’t explain that I’ve been drinking a little more water lately or that getting up from the floor doesn’t feel quite as easy as it used to.

Instead, I might simply act a little different.

And sometimes those little changes are easy to miss.

That’s one reason regular wellness visits matter. They give your veterinary team an opportunity to look for things that you may not notice at home.

Apparently, my teeth are important too.

Personally, I think my teeth are doing just fine.

I use them every day.

I chew toys. I eat treats. I carry things I’m absolutely not supposed to carry.

But dental disease is one of those problems that can quietly develop while a pet continues to act completely normal.

Regular dental evaluations, at-home dental care and appropriate dental products can all play a role in keeping your pet’s mouth healthy.

My humans have a whole collection of things they’re apparently allowed to put in my mouth.

Dental chews.

Toothbrushes.

Treats.

I have decided I support this wellness initiative.

Then there are the things I can’t see.

Vaccines. Parasite prevention. Bloodwork. Weight. Nutrition. Joint health.

These aren’t exactly exciting topics from my perspective.

I’d rather discuss squirrels.

But preventive care is about more than checking whether I look healthy from the outside.

Depending on my age, lifestyle and individual needs, my veterinarian may recommend screenings or preventive measures designed to catch problems early or reduce the risk of disease in the first place.

And that’s really the point of wellness care.

Don’t wait until there’s a problem to start paying attention to your pet’s health.

Wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all.

My neighbor Daisy is a 12-year-old Labrador.

I am five.

We probably shouldn’t have exactly the same wellness plan.

A young, healthy dog has different needs than a senior pet. Cats have different needs than dogs. An indoor pet has different risks than a dog who spends every weekend running around a farm.

Your pet’s wellness plan should be based on them—their age, lifestyle, environment, breed, medical history and individual needs.

That’s why those regular conversations with your veterinary team are so important.

And sometimes wellness is just making small changes.

Maybe your pet needs to lose a few pounds.

Maybe their nails have gotten a little too long.

Maybe they need better dental care.

Maybe it’s time to change their parasite prevention.

Maybe they’ve been slowing down and could benefit from a conversation about joint health.

Wellness doesn’t always mean something complicated.

Sometimes it’s simply noticing a small change and doing something about it before it becomes a bigger one.

So, what does Bubba think about Pet Wellness Month?

I’ll be honest.

I still don’t completely understand why October needs to be dedicated to something my humans should be thinking about all year.

But I do understand this:

I don’t get to choose when I need medical care.

I can’t schedule my own appointment.

And I definitely can’t tell my humans when something doesn’t feel quite right.

That’s their job.

My job is to chase squirrels, inspect the yard, make questionable decisions about what I find in the bushes and remind everyone that dinner is late.

So this October, while you’re thinking about your own health and getting ready for the cooler months, take a minute to think about your pets, too.

Give them a good scratch behind the ears.

Take a look at their teeth.

Check their weight.

Make sure their preventives and vaccines are up to date.

And if it’s been a while since their last wellness visit, give your veterinary team a call.

Because sometimes the best time to take care of a problem…

is before you know there’s a problem.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a wellness activity scheduled.

There is a squirrel in my yard that needs monitoring.

— Bubba