Last Updated: 23/03/2026
How to Do a Health Check on Your Pet at Home
Learn how to perform a simple at-home health check for your pet from snout to tail. This guide shows pet parents what to look for when checking eyes, ears, teeth, skin, coat, nails, weight, and mobility to help spot potential health concerns early.
Author: Dr Olivia Clarke BSc BVMS MANZCVS (Unusual Pets, Avian)
Reading Time: 9 minutes - short read
While regular vet visits are invaluable for your pet’s health and a non-negotiable for things like vaccinations and blood work, a lot can happen in between those visits so paying a close eye to our pet’s health can allow us to recognise changes to our pets before they become a bigger problem.
By performing a simple 10-minute health check as little as once a week, you can catch subtle changes before they become serious medical issues. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to bond with your pet through touch and positive reinforcement.
Follow this step by step process to carry out your own health at home check on your pet:
Weight & Body Condition
Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the easiest ways to extend your pet's life. Regularly checking not only your pet’s weight but also their body condition allows you to pick up any unexpected weight loss or weight gain early.
- The Weigh-In: If your pet is small, you can hold them while standing on a scale, then subtract your own weight or for pets under 5kg paediatric scales are another option. For large dogs, look for weight stations at your local pet store.
- Body Condition Score (BCS): Don't just rely on the numbers. Body composition matters more than the number on the scale. Feel your pet’s ribs. You should be able to feel them easily (like the back of your hand) without a thick layer of fat, and they should have a visible "waist" when viewed from above. You can learn more about how to body condition score your pet in our vet article.
Eyes & Ears
Once you have completed a weigh in and/or body condition score assessment you can move onto checking the eyes and ears.
- Eyes: They should be clear, bright, and free of squinting or heavy discharge. Any cloudiness, redness, discharge or squinting is a sign to visit your vet.
- Ears: Many dogs suffer from ear infections, especially dogs with floppy ears, those that swim often or dogs with skin allergies so regular ear checks are important. Life the ear flap and take a look inside. The skin should be light pink and clean. Redness, thickening, discharge or a brown build up are all potential signs of infection. Don’t forget to give them a sniff too! Healthy ears shouldn't have an odour
Home Care: For dogs prone to ear infections once weekly ear cleaning with a vet-recommended ear cleaner can be helpful for preventing recurring infections. It’s important to check with your vet first to see if your dog is a suitable candidate for this. Regular ear cleaning is not recommended for cats. Never put cotton tips into the ear or use alcohol or oil in your pets ears. If your dog does have signs of an ear infection be sure to have them checked by a vet before using any cleaners.
Teeth & Oral Health
Next, move onto the mouth. A staggering 80% of dogs and 70% of cats will develop dental disease by the age of three. That’s why monitoring your pets dental health and implementing dental hygiene practices into your pet’s routine are essential.
Gently lift your pets lips to inspect the gums and teeth. Healthy gums should be a salmon pink colour, not bright red or purple and there shouldn’t be any ulcers or bleeding. Teeth should be white and clean. Look for yellow or brown build up on the teeth - this is tartar and one of the earliest visible signs of dental disease. In very mild cases toothbrushing and dental chews may be enough to manage this but as tartar progresses your vet will need to perform a dental scale to remove the tartar.
Home Care: Fortunately, home dental hygiene practices can go a long way in preventing dental disease and minimising the number of veterinary dental procedures your pet will need in their life.
- Toothbrushing: Toothbrushing is the gold standard when it comes to preventative oral hygiene. Aim for daily toothbrushing with a soft bristle, long handle pet toothbrush and pet safe toothpaste. Aim for 30 seconds on each arcade. Even brushing a few times a week helps. If your pet won't tolerate a brush, consider dental chews or water additives to help break down plaque. Dental wipes can also be an easier substitute for toothbrushing, especially for cats.
- Dental treats and chews: Whilst not a replacement for toothbrushing, dental treats and chews are a great addition to have in the dental toolkit. When used correctly they are designed to mechanically remove plaque and tartar as your pet chews. Look for dental treats that have the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) seal. These products have demonstrated plaque and/or tartar reduction in controlled studies.
- Dental diets: For pets where dental disease is a primary health concern a therapeutic dental diet or an oral care diet is a proven way to reduce dental plaque and tartar build up. These diets have unique kibble technology and a special fibre matrix to help scrape plaque as pets chew.
- Water and food additives: Dental water and food additives wont reverse existing dental disease but they can help freshen your pet’s breath and even help to slow the growth of bacteria and formation of plaque. If using water additives it’s important to provide an alternate source of fresh water and refresh the bowl with the water additive daily.
Skin, Coat & Nails
Once you’re finished at the head end it’s time to move down the whole body to assess the skin and coat. Dermatological disease is common in many pets. From skin allergies to hot spots, lumps and bumps and parasites like fleas, there are a lot of potential skin problems to watch out for. Regular brushing, bathing and nail clips are also all important grooming practices and don’t have to be stressful if you get your pet used to it at a young age.
To perform a skin and coat check run your hands all over their body, parting the fur as you go. Look and feel for any matts in the coat, bald spots or dandruff. Check the skin for redness, dry patches, wounds as well as any lumps or bumps. Part the fur and look for flea dirt. This looks like tiny black specks that turn red when placed on a wet paper towel. The most common spot to find flea first is along the lower back and tail base.
- Brushing and bathing: Regular brushing not only removes loose hair and debris but also distributes natural oils through the coat, helping keep it shiny and healthy. Bathing with a pet-appropriate shampoo, followed by a conditioner when recommended, can help maintain skin hydration and coat quality; just be careful not to over-bathe, as this may dry the skin. For some pets weekly bathing might be appropriate and for others once a month is fine. It depends on their coat type, how dirty it gets and if they have any skin conditions that warrant more frequent bathing.
- Nail care: During your routine, also check your pet’s nails. If they are touching the ground when your pet stands or you hear them clicking on hard floors, it may be time for a trim. Keeping nails neatly clipped helps prevent discomfort, posture issues, and accidental breakage. When clipping, always stay clear of the "quick"—the pink part inside the nail that contains nerves and blood vessels.
- Parasite prevention: Ensure you keep your pet up to date with vet-recommended parasite control. Not only to prevent external parasites like fleas and ticks but also to protect against major internal parasites including intestinal worms and heartworm.
Incorporating these simple grooming checks into your regular routine allows you to spot potential concerns early and keep your pet looking and feeling their best.
Grooming Care
Mobility & Joint Health
Finally, watch your pet move. Up to 80% of dogs are diagnosed with arthritis in their life and 90% of cats aged 12 years or older have evidence of arthritis. Yet animals are the masters of hiding it! It’s up to us as pet parents to monitor their mobility closely and notice when things change or they start slowing down.
Are they rising slowly after a nap? Are they hesitant to jump onto the couch or climb stairs? Are they slower on their walks? These are all common but subtle signs of osteoarthritis and a good reason to get them checked over by the vet if you notice any of these signs.
Stiffness or "slowing down" is often mistaken for just "getting old," but it’s usually a sign of joint discomfort or arthritis that can be managed with a multi-modal approach including weight management, medication, controlled exercise, therapeutic diets and/or joint supplements.
Start Early
Getting into the rhythm of regular home health checks should start as early as possible. Many dogs and cats can be aversive to having their face, ears and feet touched if not accustomed to this at a young age. This can make checks and routine care like toothbrushing, grooming and nail clips extremely difficult. Get your puppy or kitten used to having their ears, mouth and feet touched and always use positive reinforcement with praise and treats.
When To See A Vet
Think of your home health pet checks as your early warning and surveillance system rather than a replacement for veterinary care. If you find anything unusual like a new lump, persistent bad breath, or a sudden change in weight, it’s time to book a professional consultation. Catching these issues early often means simpler, more effective, and less expensive treatment.
FAQs
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Dr Olivia Clarke BSc BVMS MANZCVS (Unusual Pets, Avian)
Veterinarian
Dr Olivia graduated from Murdoch University in 2015 and worked in Western Australia before moving to Sydney to work in specialist practice as an avian and exotics veterinarian. Olivia has thoroughly enjoyed the diversity of species and interesting cases in her time as an exotics veterinarian. She has a particular soft spot for rabbits and thoroughly enjoys all aspects of rabbit medicine and surgery. She also has many years of experience working with dogs and cats as well as an array of wildlife.
