Georgie’s Annual Vet Visit: What We Check and How Much It Actually Costs

Last Tuesday Georgie ate my sock and acted like I’d wronged him when I took it back. He’s always like that after a vet visit – dramatic, self-pitying, and convinced the world is out to get him. The annual check-up always turns him into a tiny, fluffy martyr, even though he just gets some shots and a quick once-over. You asked what we actually do at Georgie’s annual vet visit and what it costs. Buckle up, buttercup, because it’s never as simple as you think with a Morkie.

The Pre-Vet Prep: More for Me Than Him

Honestly, the hardest part of the vet visit is getting Georgie into the car. He knows. He just knows. I’ve tried everything. First, I tried just picking him up and putting him in, which resulted in a lot of indignant yelps and a very stiff dog for the entire ride. Then I tried tempting him with treats, which worked exactly once before he figured out my evil plot. Now, I basically have to trick him into thinking we’re going somewhere fun, like the park. I’ll grab his leash, jingle it enthusiastically, and when he’s all hyped up thinking he’s about to chase squirrels, I usher him right into his carrier. He hates the carrier, by the way. It’s the Petmate Vari Kennel ($40 on Chewy), which is a solid little plastic crate about 18 inches long with ventilation panels. We tried a soft-sided one first, but he chewed through it in about ten minutes, proving once again that he thinks he’s a wolf, not a 7-pound lapdog.

Before we even get there, I make a mental list of anything weird he’s done in the last year. Has he been itching more? Any changes in his poop (a constant topic of conversation in my house, thanks to Georgie’s sensitive stomach)? Is he still trying to dominate Teddy, the much larger Goldendoodle who tolerates Georgie’s delusions of grandeur with the patience of a saint? These are the real questions that help me give the vet a complete picture of what’s actually going on at home.

The Actual Exam: Quick, Efficient, and Full of Drama

We go to Stone Ridge Animal Hospital, a local clinic about 10 minutes from our house. They’re great, super patient with Georgie’s barking and general disdain for being touched by strangers. When we get into the exam room, Georgie immediately starts his “poor me, I’m dying” routine. He’ll usually try to climb into my shirt or burrow under my arm, shaking dramatically even before the vet has even looked at him. Teddy, on the other hand, just wags his tail and assumes everyone is there to give him pets. Different strokes for different doodles, I guess.

The vet does the usual check:

• Weight check: Georgie usually clocks in around 7 pounds, give or take a few ounces depending on how many treats Teddy has “accidentally” dropped for him. They use a standard digital pet scale.
• Ears: They check for redness, discharge, or any signs of infection. Georgie gets ear cleanings at home with Virbac Epi-Otic Advanced Ear Cleaner ($15 on Amazon) once a week, so his ears are usually pretty good. We tried just water and cotton balls initially, but that did nothing to address the buildup he gets from his floppy ears trapping moisture.
• Eyes: Quick look for cloudiness, discharge, or tear staining. Morkies are prone to eye issues, so this one always matters to me. They also check his tear production with a simple strip test.
• Mouth and teeth: The vet opens his mouth and checks for tartar buildup, gum inflammation, or tooth decay. Georgie has surprisingly good teeth for a small dog, probably because I’ve been aggressive about brushing them three times a week with a dog-specific toothpaste like Enzymatic Oral Care ($8 on Chewy). Small dogs are notorious for dental problems, so staying on top of this now means fewer issues later.
• Heart and lungs: Stethoscope time. The vet listens for any irregularities or concerning sounds. This usually takes about 30 seconds and Georgie tolerates it better than the rest of the exam because it doesn’t involve being held too tightly.
• Abdomen: Gentle palpation to check for any lumps, organ enlargement, or signs of pain. The vet will ask if he’s been eating and drinking normally, and whether his energy levels seem consistent.
• Skin and coat: They run their hands over him to check for any bumps, rashes, excessive dryness, or signs of parasites. Since Georgie’s on monthly flea and tick prevention (Simparica Trio, about $65 per dose), this is usually clear, but it’s still worth checking given how much time he spends rolled around on the backyard grass.
• Paw pads and nails: They check between his toes for any matting, cracks, or signs of infection, and trim his nails if needed. I usually do this myself between visits with a standard nail grinder, but sometimes they need professional attention.

The whole physical exam takes about 15 minutes. Georgie spends the entire time acting like he’s being tortured, even though nothing hurts and nobody’s actually doing anything invasive. By the end, he’s convinced he’s survived the worst day of his life.

The Bloodwork and Vaccines

Once Georgie is officially cleared as a healthy little drama queen, they move on to bloodwork. They draw a small sample and send it to the lab for a complete blood count (CBC) and a chemistry panel. This costs about $150 to $200 depending on what they’re testing for. At his age (he’s 6 now), the vet recommends annual bloodwork to catch any early signs of kidney disease or other age-related issues that Morkies are susceptible to. We’ve been doing this for the last two years and everything’s come back normal, which is exactly what you want to hear.

Then come the vaccines. Georgie gets the standard DHPP vaccine (distemper, hepatitis, parvo, and parainfluenza) and a rabies booster, which is also required by law. His vet clinic bundles those together for about $85 total. He doesn’t need the bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine since he doesn’t go to boarding or dog parks regularly, and our vet said the risk-benefit wasn’t there for his lifestyle. Some people do get it anyway, but we’ve made the call not to.

After the shots, Georgie limps around like he’s been through major surgery for the next 24 hours, even though the needle was smaller than a mosquito. He’ll refuse to jump on the couch and will seek maximum sympathy from everyone in the house. Teddy, who also got his shots, will be running around the backyard like nothing happened.

The Questions and Recommendations

This is when I actually ask the questions I jotted down before the visit. The vet asks about his diet, exercise, and whether we’ve noticed anything concerning. This year, I mentioned that Georgie seems to be getting a little chunky around the middle, which the vet confirmed by feeling his ribs. So now we’re cutting back on treats and being more intentional about his daily walks. We’re aiming for at least two 20-minute walks a day, plus playtime with Teddy in the backyard. Small dogs metabolize treats differently than big ones, and Georgie’s tendency to eat whatever Teddy drops means I have to be vigilant.

The vet also recommended that we upgrade his toothpaste situation. Instead of just brushing with the enzymatic paste, she suggested a professional cleaning sometime in the next year if his tartar continues to build up. That would run about $400 to $600 with anesthesia, which is why prevention through regular brushing is so important.

The Total Cost Breakdown

Here’s what our annual vet visit actually costs us:

• Exam fee: $65
• Bloodwork (CBC and chemistry panel): $175
• DHPP and rabies vaccines: $85
• Total: $325

That’s not counting the ongoing preventative care like flea and tick medication ($65/month), ear cleaner, toothpaste, and nail maintenance supplies. If you add in the annual cost of his prescription dog food (he’s on a limited ingredient formula from the vet for his sensitive stomach at about $45 per month), you’re looking at closer to $1,000 a year just to keep him in the condition he’s in.

But here’s the thing – and I say this as someone who once had to take Georgie to the emergency vet at 2 a.m. for what turned out to be mild indigestion that cost $450 to rule out a blockage – catching problems early is always cheaper than dealing with them when they become emergencies. Georgie’s bloodwork has stayed normal, his weight is mostly under control, and he’s got good energy levels for a 6-year-old Morkie. That’s worth every penny of the $325 exam.

The biggest takeaway? Your vet visit is only as useful as the information you bring to it. If you come in with a list of what you’ve actually observed, ask questions about your specific dog’s needs, and commit to the preventative stuff between visits, you’re setting yourself up for a long, healthy life with your pup. Even if they do eat your socks and act like martyrs afterwards.