I know pet owners have a hard time figuring out when it is time to go to the veterinarian. If you get a reminder for routine care, like your pet’s annual wellness exam, it’s easy. The harder question is illness: when is your pet sick enough to go the veterinarian?

For example, I recently saw a young terrier whose owners noticed him shaking his head and developing a brown discharge from his ear. They correctly suspected an ear infection. That same day, I saw a cat whose owner was worried about a growth in the abdomen—but it turned out to be a normal fat pad that some cats have between their back legs, in the inguinal area.

These examples highlight an important point: sometimes pet owners recognize a problem accurately, and sometimes they don’t. Today’s blogpost will give some guidance on when pet owners should seek veterinary care for their pet.

What Does the Data Show?

Our friends at the North American Veterinary Community surveyed just over 1,000 pet-owning adults in the United States in October of 2025. The results surprised me. Just over half of pet owners take their pet to the veterinarian only when the pet is sick or in pain. This decision means many pets are missing their annual wellness exams and are not getting screened for diseases that can be treated in their early stages. About one third of those surveyed found annual vaccinations necessary, suggesting some vaccine hesitancy in the other two thirds. About one fourth of pet owners questioned the need for parasite prevention for indoor-only pets. For the record, the Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends parasite protection for every pet year-round.

Should I Go to the Vet? Easy Answers

Research from the United Kingdom found pet owners were often correct in identifying a condition needing veterinary attention when the problem was on the outside of the body—like my terrier patient with the ear infection.

Veterinarians are also particularly skilled at identifying conditions such as skin tumors or anal gland cancers, which can easily be found during a physical or rectal examination.

Based on research and clinical experience, here is a list of reasons to make an appointment to see your pet’s veterinarian:

• Annual physical examination, including a rectal examination
• A new lump on the skin and testing the lump for cancer
• Sore on the skin that doesn’t heal
• Bleeding – from the nose, in the urine or stool
• Vomiting or diarrhea that doesn’t go away after a few days
• Limping

Slow and Subtle Changes in Your Pet’s Health

My guest on the April episode of the “Ask the Vet” podcast, Dr. Lelani Alvarez, talked about the slow and gradual changes that occur as your dog ages. The challenge here is to distinguish normal aging from signs of illness.

Because the changes occur slowly, pet owners have a hard time recognizing them. For example, if your dog’s harness suddenly seems too loose or the litter box has more urine clumps than normal, you have just identified a problem that requires a visit with your pet’s veterinarian.

Watch for these subtle changes:

• Decreased appetite and/or unexplained weight loss
• Drinking more water or increased volume of urine
• Abdominal swelling or distention
• Difficulty eating, swallowing or breathing
• Gradual decrease in mobility
• Behavior changes, like hiding or being less interested in things the pet used to enjoy

If you notice any of these, a veterinary visit is warranted. The questions asked as part of your veterinarian’s examination, plus the examination itself and laboratory testing, can hone in on the cause.

When to Go to the Veterinary ER Immediately

Some situations require immediate veterinary care. I have written about the reasons to go to the animal emergency room before, and here’s a quick refresher:

• Collapse or inability to walk
• Eating or encountering something potentially poisonous
• Signs of bloat
• Difficulty breathing (learn to count your pet’s breathing rate by watching this video)
• Traumatic injury, even if your pet looks ok (e.g. hit by a car or falling from a height)

Recognizing when your pet needs veterinary care can be challenging, but paying attention to both obvious symptoms and subtle changes can make a significant difference. When in doubt, it’s always safer to have your pet evaluated.