Owning a dog in St. Louis is one of life's great joys. From morning walks through Forest Park to lazy Sunday afternoons in the backyard, the bond between a dog and their family is irreplaceable. But that bond comes with responsibility, and the foundation of responsible dog ownership is understanding your pet's health needs at every stage of life. This guide consolidates everything our veterinary team at Clix Family Hospitals wants St. Louis dog owners to know about keeping their canine companions healthy, happy, and thriving.
Preventive Care Essentials
Preventive care is the single most impactful investment you can make in your dog's health. It costs far less to prevent disease than to treat it, and early detection of problems through regular screenings leads to better outcomes and lower lifetime healthcare costs. At Clix Family Hospitals, preventive care is the cornerstone of everything we do.
Annual Wellness Exams
A comprehensive wellness exam is far more than a quick once-over. During each visit, we perform a nose-to-tail physical examination that includes checking your dog's eyes, ears, teeth, skin, coat, heart, lungs, abdomen, lymph nodes, joints, and neurological function. We assess body condition, discuss behavior changes, review diet and exercise, and update vaccinations. For many conditions, including heart disease, kidney disease, and certain cancers, the wellness exam is where we catch the first subtle signs before your dog shows obvious symptoms.
Vaccinations
Vaccines remain one of the most effective tools in veterinary medicine. Core vaccines, which include rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and adenovirus, are recommended for every dog regardless of lifestyle. In the St. Louis area, we also strongly recommend leptospirosis vaccination due to the prevalence of the bacteria in our local waterways and wildlife populations. Lifestyle vaccines like Bordetella, canine influenza, and Lyme disease are recommended based on your dog's exposure risk. We create individualized vaccination schedules rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach, because your dog's risk profile is unique.
Parasite Prevention
St. Louis's warm, humid climate creates ideal conditions for parasites year-round. Heartworm disease, transmitted by mosquitoes, is endemic in our region, and we diagnose new cases every spring in dogs who lapsed on prevention. Ticks carrying Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis are active in local parks from early spring through late fall. Fleas can survive indoors year-round. We recommend 12-month prevention for heartworm, fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites for every dog in the metro area.
Common Health Concerns by Age
Puppies (Birth to 1 Year)
The first year is critical for establishing a health foundation. Puppies need a series of vaccinations starting at 6 to 8 weeks and continuing every 3 to 4 weeks until about 16 weeks of age. During this period, they are vulnerable to parvovirus and distemper, so limiting exposure to unvaccinated dogs and contaminated environments is essential. Common puppy health concerns include intestinal parasites, which are extremely common and easily treated, upper respiratory infections, gastrointestinal upset from dietary indiscretion (puppies eat everything), and orthopedic developmental issues in large breed puppies. Spaying or neutering is typically discussed during the puppy series, with timing based on breed and size.
Adult Dogs (1 to 7 Years)
Adult dogs generally enjoy their healthiest years, but this is not the time to skip veterinary care. Annual wellness exams, vaccination boosters, and parasite prevention remain essential. Common health concerns during the adult years include dental disease (which often begins before age 3), obesity (affecting over 50% of adult dogs), allergies and skin conditions (particularly common in the St. Louis climate), ear infections (especially in floppy-eared breeds), and soft tissue injuries from activity. Annual bloodwork starting at age 5 helps establish baseline values for liver, kidney, and thyroid function, making it easier to detect changes as your dog ages.
Senior Dogs (7+ Years)
Senior dogs need more frequent monitoring as their bodies begin to change. We recommend twice-yearly wellness exams with comprehensive bloodwork, urinalysis, and blood pressure checks. Common senior dog health concerns include arthritis and joint disease, cognitive dysfunction (similar to dementia), kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Many of these conditions are manageable when caught early, which is why the shift to biannual exams is so important. We also reassess nutrition, exercise, and pain management at each senior visit.
Nutrition & Diet
Nutrition is the foundation of health, yet it is also one of the most confusing topics for dog owners. The pet food industry is enormous, marketing claims are often misleading, and well-meaning advice from friends and social media can be contradictory. Here is what the veterinary evidence actually supports.
Choose a commercially prepared diet that carries the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) statement of nutritional adequacy. This statement means the food has either been formulated to meet established nutrient profiles or has been through feeding trials. Look for foods manufactured by companies that employ veterinary nutritionists and conduct their own research. Brands like Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, and Purina Pro Plan consistently meet these criteria. We recommend caution with grain-free diets unless your dog has a diagnosed grain allergy, which is actually rare. The FDA has investigated a potential link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy, a serious heart condition, in dogs.
Portion control is just as important as food quality. Feeding guidelines on the bag are starting points, not precise prescriptions. Your dog's ideal daily intake depends on their body condition, activity level, age, and metabolism. We calculate specific calorie goals during wellness exams and adjust recommendations over time. Treats should make up no more than 10% of daily calories. For overweight dogs, a structured weight loss plan supervised by your veterinarian is far more effective and safer than simply cutting back food on your own.
Dental Health
Dental disease is the most common health condition in adult dogs, affecting an estimated 80% of dogs by age 3. Yet it is also one of the most undertreated conditions because the signs are easy to miss. Dogs instinctively hide oral pain and continue eating even with severe dental disease. The consequences of untreated dental disease extend far beyond bad breath. Bacteria from infected gums can enter the bloodstream and affect the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Professional dental cleanings under anesthesia are the gold standard for treating and preventing dental disease. During a cleaning, we scale tartar from all tooth surfaces including below the gum line, take dental X-rays to evaluate tooth roots and bone, polish teeth to slow future plaque accumulation, and extract any teeth that are severely diseased. Between professional cleanings, home care including daily tooth brushing, dental chews, and water additives can slow the progression of plaque and tartar. For a detailed deep dive into dental care, read our Complete Guide to Dog Dental Health.
Skin & Allergies
Allergies are one of the most common reasons dog owners visit the veterinarian, and the St. Louis environment presents particular challenges. Our region's high pollen counts in spring and fall, humid summers that promote yeast and bacterial skin infections, and abundant flea and tick populations create a perfect storm for allergic dogs. Environmental allergies (atopic dermatitis), food allergies, and flea allergy dermatitis are the three main categories, and many dogs suffer from more than one type simultaneously.
Signs of allergies in dogs include persistent itching, especially of the paws, ears, face, and belly; recurrent ear infections; hot spots; hair loss; and chronically irritated skin. If your dog is licking their paws constantly, shaking their head, or scooting, allergies may be the underlying cause. Treatment depends on identifying the type and severity of the allergy. Options range from antihistamines and medicated shampoos for mild cases to immunotherapy (allergy shots), Apoquel, and Cytopoint for moderate to severe cases. Our dermatology services include comprehensive allergy testing and customized treatment plans.
Exercise & Activity
Regular exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy weight, supporting cardiovascular health, preserving joint mobility, and providing mental stimulation. The amount and type of exercise your dog needs depends on their breed, age, and individual health status. A young border collie needs far more activity than a senior basset hound, and pushing a dog beyond their physical limits is just as harmful as not exercising them enough.
For most adult dogs in St. Louis, a combination of daily walks (30 to 60 minutes), interactive play sessions, and mental enrichment activities provides a good baseline. St. Louis offers excellent resources for active dogs, including Forest Park's extensive trail network, the many county parks with dog-friendly areas, and off-leash parks like Queeny Park in Ballwin. During St. Louis's hot and humid summers, exercise should be shifted to early morning or late evening hours. Brachycephalic breeds (flat-faced dogs like bulldogs and pugs) need particular caution in heat and humidity due to their compromised airways. Always carry water on walks and learn to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion: excessive panting, drooling, glazed eyes, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing.
For puppies, exercise must be carefully managed to protect developing growth plates. The general guideline is 5 minutes of exercise per month of age, twice daily. So a 4-month-old puppy should have two 20-minute walks per day rather than a single long walk. Avoid high-impact activities like jumping, running on hard surfaces, and excessive stair climbing until your puppy has finished growing, which is 12 months for most small breeds and 18 to 24 months for large and giant breeds.
Senior Dog Care
Watching your dog age can be emotionally difficult, but senior years can be wonderful when health is properly managed. Dogs are considered senior at around age 7 for large breeds and age 9 to 10 for small breeds, though individual aging varies significantly. The goal of senior dog care is to maintain quality of life through proactive monitoring, early intervention, and thoughtful adjustments to diet, exercise, and environment.
Arthritis is the most common condition affecting senior dogs, and it is drastically underdiagnosed because owners often attribute slowing down to "just getting old." Signs include reluctance to jump onto furniture or into the car, stiffness after rest (especially in the morning), lagging behind on walks, licking or chewing at joints, and difficulty with stairs. Modern pain management options, including anti-inflammatory medications, joint supplements, physical therapy, laser therapy, and adequan injections, can dramatically improve comfort and mobility. We develop individualized pain management plans during our senior pet wellness exams.
Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), the canine equivalent of dementia, affects an estimated 28% of dogs aged 11 to 12 and over 60% of dogs aged 15 to 16. Signs include disorientation, changes in sleep-wake cycles (pacing at night), house soiling in a previously housetrained dog, decreased interaction with family members, and staring into space. While there is no cure, dietary supplements, environmental enrichment, and certain medications can slow progression and maintain quality of life. Recognizing CDS early is important, so report any behavioral changes at your senior wellness visits.
Nutrition for senior dogs shifts toward supporting organ function, maintaining lean muscle mass, and managing specific conditions. Senior diets are often lower in calories to prevent obesity, higher in quality protein to preserve muscle, and supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids for joint and brain health. Dogs with kidney disease, liver disease, or diabetes may need prescription therapeutic diets. We provide specific nutritional recommendations at every senior wellness visit based on your dog's current bloodwork and body condition.
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