Last Updated: 17/08/2026
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: 7 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 check your pet's health at home, then dive into our deeper guides on dental care, grooming, joint supplements and home safety below.
How do I check my pet's weight and body condition at home?
Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the easiest ways to extend your pet's life. Regularly checking your pet's weight and body condition helps you pick up unexpected weight loss or gain early.
The Weigh-In: If your pet is small, 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, the scales at your local vet are ideal.
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.
In clinic, we find most owners don't clock that their pet has gained weight until we point it out on the scales, that's exactly why a regular at-home check matters more than the odd glance.
Read our full guide on how to body condition score your pet for a step by step walkthrough.
What should I look for when checking my pet's 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.
Read more on Eye Discharge in Dogs and Cats, and learn How to Deal with Tear Stains.
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 matter. Lift the ear flap and look inside, the skin should be light pink and clean. Redness, thickening, discharge or a brown build up are all potential signs of infection (read more on why dogs get ear infections). 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 cleaner can help prevent recurrence, but check with your vet first. Regular ear cleaning isn't recommended for cats. Never put cotton tips into the ear or use alcohol or oil in your pet's ears, and always get a suspected infection checked before using any cleaners.
Learn more about How to Prevent Your Pet Getting Ear Infections, and How to Keep Dog Ears Clean.
How do I check my pet's teeth and dental health?
Checking your pet's mouth is one of the most valuable at-home health checks you can do, dental disease is extremely common in both dogs and cats.
Gently lift your pet's lips to inspect the gums and teeth. Healthy gums should be a salmon pink colour, not bright red or purple, with no ulcers or bleeding. Teeth should be white and clean, yellow or brown build up is tartar, one of the earliest visible signs of dental disease. In mild cases, toothbrushing and dental chews may be enough to manage it, as tartar progresses, your vet will need to perform a dental scale.
The good news is home dental hygiene can go a long way in preventing dental disease and reducing how many veterinary dental procedures your pet needs over their lifetime. Toothbrushing is still the gold standard, but dental chews, wipes, diets and water additives all have a role to play too.
We've put together a full walkthrough on home dental care for pets, including how to introduce toothbrushing to a pet who isn't used to it.
How do I check my pet's skin, coat and nails?
A skin, coat and nail check covers the rest of your pet's body, and it's just as important as the head-to-tail checks. Dermatological issues are common, from allergies and hot spots to lumps, bumps and parasites like fleas, so it's worth a proper feel, not just a look.
Run your hands over your pet's whole body, parting the fur as you go. Feel for matts, bald spots or dandruff, and check the skin for redness, dry patches, wounds or anything new. Part the fur along the lower back and tail base to check for flea dirt, tiny black specks that turn red on a wet paper towel.
Nails: If nails touch the ground when your pet stands, or click on hard floors, it's time for a trim, long nails cause discomfort and posture issues. Always stay clear of the "quick", the pink part inside the nail with nerves and blood vessels (our guide to trimming your pet's nails walks through it safely).
Regular brushing, bathing and nail care don't have to be stressful if your pet gets used to it young. Our dog grooming guide and cat grooming guide cover routines, tools and how often to bathe your pet.
How can I tell if my pet has joint or mobility problems?
Watching how your pet moves is one of the best ways to catch joint or mobility problems early. Up to 80% of dogs are diagnosed with arthritis in their lifetime, and 90% of cats aged 12 and over show evidence of arthritis on X-ray, yet animals are experts at hiding it, so it's on us to watch closely.
Are they rising slowly after a nap? Hesitant to jump onto the couch or climb stairs? Slower on walks? These are common but subtle signs of osteoarthritis, worth a vet check if you notice them.
"Slowing down" is often written off as just getting old, but it's usually joint discomfort or arthritis. It's typically managed with a multi-modal approach: weight management, medication, controlled exercise, therapeutic diets and joint supplements.
Our guides to Arthritis in Dogs, Arthritis Care in Cats have more information about causes, signs and treatment including joint supplements. Check out our pet supplements guide for which other supplements are worth considering and why.
Home safety: what else should I check around the house?
A health check isn't just about your pet's body, it's worth casting an eye over their environment too. Common household and garden plants can be toxic to pets, and it's easy to bring one home without realising. In addition, everyday household items can pose a risk to pets. Take a look at our guide to toxic plants to avoid, our tips for building a pet-friendly garden, and common household hazards to watch out for.
If you're preparing for a puppy or kitten, take a look at our guides to Puppy Proofing Your Home and Garden and Kitten Proofing Your Home to ensure it's safe before your new pet arrives.
When should I start doing health checks on my pet?
Start the habit of home health checks as early as possible. Many dogs and cats can be wary of having their face, ears and feet touched if they're not used to it as a puppy or kitten. This can make checks and routine care like toothbrushing, grooming and nail clips much harder later on. Get your puppy or kitten used to having their ears, mouth and feet touched, and always pair it with positive reinforcement, praise and treats.
When should I take my pet to the vet after a health check?
Think of home health checks as an early warning system, not a replacement for veterinary care. If you find anything unusual, a new lump, persistent bad breath, or a sudden change in weight, book a professional consultation. Catching these issues early usually means simpler, more effective and less expensive treatment.
FAQs
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Mon 17 Aug 2026
Edited by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)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.
