October is National Pet Wellness Month. The AVMA helped launch it in 2004 to get pet parents thinking about aging and regular checkups. The checkup still matters. But your dog or cat lives the other 364 days of the year at home with you, and that's where most of their wellness happens.
So here's our pet wellness checklist. It starts with the vet and then covers everything after it: what goes in the bowl, what goes in the treat jar, how they move, how they chew, how much they drink, and how they spend their days. Most items link to a deeper post if you want the full story.
1. keep up with wellness exams
This is the baseline, and nothing on this list replaces it. AAHA recommends that adult dogs see the vet once or twice a year and that healthy senior dogs go at least twice a year. Cats are better at hiding when something's off than dogs are, so their yearly visit matters just as much.
Before the appointment, write down anything you've noticed: changes in appetite, water intake, stool, energy, or weight. Your notes from home give your vet a lot more to go on than a 20-minute exam alone.
- ☐ Wellness exam on the calendar (twice a year for seniors)
- ☐ Vaccines and parasite prevention up to date
- ☐ A running list of changes you've noticed at home
2. support gut health between meals
Digestive health is the number one thing pet parents look for on a label right now, and treats are part of the picture. You hand them out every day. If they're full of fillers, binders, and additives, your pet's gut is dealing with those ingredients all day long.
The simplest fix is to take things away. A single-ingredient treat gives a sensitive stomach one real protein to process and nothing else. We go deeper in gut health and your dog: why what you feed between meals matters.
- ☐ Look at what's in the treat jar, not just the food bowl
- ☐ Watch stool, gas, and appetite. They're your best gut-health signals.
3. read every label – treats included
You can't do much about wellness if you don't know what's going in. Short ingredient lists you can pronounce are a good sign. Vague terms like "meat by-products," artificial colors, and long preservative lists are not. Our guide on how to read a pet treat ingredient label walks through the red flags.
How a treat is made counts too. If you've ever wondered what the difference is between freeze-dried, air-dried, and dehydrated, start with freeze-dried vs. dehydrated: what pet owners need to know and freeze-dried vs. air-dried: what's the difference?.
- ☐ Every treat in the house passes the "could I name every ingredient?" test
4. know where it comes from
Sourcing is part of label literacy, and more pet parents are asking about it. Every Momentum protein has a home: Wisconsin pork, North Dakota chicken, Michigan turkey, Illinois and Pennsylvania duck, Idaho beef, bison & trout, and Icelandic fish chews sourced and processed in Iceland. When a brand can tell you where its protein comes from, you're dealing with people who know what's in the bag.
- ☐ You know the source of your pet's main proteins – or know who to ask
5. feed for the heart
Heart health isn't only a people thing. Two nutrients come up again and again for dogs and cats:
- Taurine – cats can't make enough of it on their own and have to get it from their diet, and heart and liver are among the richest natural sources. Read more in taurine for dogs and cats: why heart and liver treats are nature's best source.
- CoQ10 – found naturally in heart muscle, and one of the fastest-growing nutrients in pet health. Learn more in CoQ10 for dogs: the heart health nutrient hidden in every bite.
- ☐ Heart-based treats in the rotation – beef, turkey, or chicken heart
6. support joints, skin, and coat
Joint and mobility support is one of the biggest functional trends in pet nutrition, and collagen is leading it. Natural chews like pig ears, pig snouts, duck and turkey necks, and Icelandic fish skin chews are whole-food sources of collagen. Fish skin also brings omega-3s. Our post on collagen for dogs: what it does, what the research says, and the best natural sources covers what the research actually shows.
Cats can join in too. Fish chews and duck, turkey, and chicken necks are cat-friendly.
- ☐ A collagen-rich natural chew a few times a week (always supervised)
7. rule out the itch with novel proteins
If your pet scratches all the time, gets recurring ear issues, or has a touchy stomach, the protein may be the problem. Chicken and beef are the most common proteins in pet food, so they're also the ones pets most often react to. A novel protein your pet hasn't eaten before, like bison, duck, pork, minnow, trout, or Icelandic fish, makes it easier to see what's going on. Start with novel proteins for dogs with allergies.
- ☐ If you're working through food sensitivities, keep treats single-protein so you always know what your pet ate
8. do the treat math
This is the one most of us skip. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention's 2022 survey, 59% of dogs and 61% of cats in the U.S. were classified as overweight or obese. Treats add up fast, especially when you're training.
You don't have to stop rewarding your pet. Use smaller rewards. Momentum Training Bites are under 2 calories per treat and made with just two organ ingredients, so you can reward often without throwing off your pet's daily calories. Bigger single-ingredient treats like chicken breast and pork tenderloin also break into small pieces easily.
- ☐ Ask your vet for your pet's ideal weight and daily calorie target
- ☐ Count treats as part of the day's food, not on top of it
9. don't forget their teeth
According to the American Veterinary Dental College, most dogs and cats show some evidence of periodontal disease by age three. Brushing and professional cleanings are the gold standard. For dogs, chewing also helps scrape away plaque and tartar on its own. Long-lasting chews like bully sticks, pig ears, and turkey necks give them a good reason to chew.
- ☐ Teeth checked at every wellness exam
- ☐ A brushing routine your pet will tolerate (even a few times a week helps)
- ☐ Supervised chew time for dogs
10. keep them hydrated – especially cats
Cats tend to be light drinkers. That makes hydration easy to overlook, especially for cats on dry food. The Cornell Feline Health Center notes that wet food can contain up to 80% water, and suggests fresh water in easy-to-reach spots, water fountains, and adding water to meals to get more fluid into your cat.
Freeze-dried treats can help with this. Crumble a few over a meal and add a splash of water.
- ☐ Fresh water in more than one spot in the house
- ☐ Some moisture added to meals for cats who don't drink much
11. give their brain a job
Wellness isn't only physical. A bored pet is often a stressed one, and stress shows up as chewing the wrong things, pacing, or acting out. Lick mats, snuffle mats, puzzle feeders, and long-lasting chews give pets an outlet. We break down how to set them up in back to routine, back to school: how enrichment can help your pet with the transition. For high-stress nights, see how to calm your dog during fireworks.
Training counts as enrichment too, and it isn't just for dogs. Yes, cats can train too.
- ☐ At least one enrichment activity a day
- ☐ A few minutes of training – dogs and cats
12. keep them moving
Movement supports weight, joints, digestion, and mood all at once. Dogs need daily walks and play suited to their age and breed. Indoor cats need short bursts of play, like wand toys, chase games, and climbing, to act on their hunting instincts. We cover the basics in the importance of keeping your pet active.
- ☐ Daily exercise matched to age and energy level
- ☐ For cats: a couple of short play sessions a day
the bottom line: invest in nutrition now
Your vet sees your pet a couple of times a year. You see them every day. Most of this list is small daily stuff: clean treats, the right portions, something to chew, water within reach, and a reason to get up and move. Over a lifetime, those habits add up. Invest in nutrition now, and you give your pet the best shot at fewer surprises at the vet later.
pet wellness FAQs
What is National Pet Wellness Month?
National Pet Wellness Month takes place every October. The AVMA helped launch it in 2004 to raise awareness of pet aging and the value of regular wellness exams for dogs and cats.
How often should my dog get a wellness exam?
AAHA recommends once or twice a year for adult dogs and at least twice a year for healthy senior dogs. Your vet may suggest more visits depending on your dog's health.
How often should my cat see the vet?
Healthy adult cats should have a wellness exam at least once a year. Senior cats and cats with health conditions often need more frequent visits. Ask your vet what's right for your cat.
What does pet wellness include besides vet visits?
Daily nutrition (including treats), weight management, dental care, hydration, exercise, and mental enrichment. These everyday habits are where most of your pet's wellness happens.
Can treats be part of a healthy diet for my pet?
Yes, if you choose them carefully and count them in your pet's daily calories. Single-ingredient and limited-ingredient treats keep the ingredient list short. Low-calorie training treats let you reward often without overfeeding.
What's an easy way to help my cat drink more water?
Feed wet food or add water to meals. Keep fresh water in several easy-to-reach spots. Some cats prefer a water fountain.
celebrate pet wellness month with clean-label treats
Building a wellness routine starts with what's in the treat jar. Every Momentum treat is made from real, responsibly sourced protein, with nothing extra added.
- Shop freeze-dried dog treats
- Shop freeze-dried cat treats
- Shop freeze-dried training bites
- Shop natural chews
Sources
- 2022 Survey Reveals Alarming Rates of Pet Obesity in the US – Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 2022
- AVMA: "Doggie breath" could be a sign of serious disease – American Veterinary Medical Association, 2023 (citing the American Veterinary Dental College)
- Hydration – Cornell Feline Health Center
