For a healthy adult Lagotto Romagnolo, one routine vet checkup a year is the standard pattern. Puppies need several visits in their first months so the vet can follow growth and preventive care, and senior Lagotti are generally seen twice a year, when teeth, eyes, joints, and body condition benefit from a shorter gap between exams. The Lagotto has grown rapidly in popularity from its Italian working roots, and a regular vet who knows the breed's woolly coat, keen nose, and sensitive nature will give you more specific guidance at each successive visit.
Ears and coat: the Lagotto's recurring topics
Hair grows inside a Lagotto's ear canals, and the breed's love of digging, swimming, and damp woodland work adds moisture and debris, so ears headline most checkups. The vet will look deep into the canals and ask about scratching, head shaking, and how ear hair is managed during grooming. The dense, curly, low-shedding coat also needs the vet's hands at least yearly: felting close to the skin can trap moisture and hide irritation, especially behind the ears, under the collar, and in the armpits. If your groomer finds a sore patch or lump while clipping the coat down, note its location and tell the vet.
Digestion, teeth, and a thoughtful temperament
Many owners raise food sensitivity and loose stools with this breed, so arrive with an honest account of what your Lagotto eats, how its digestion actually behaves week to week, and whether any change coincided with a new food or a season of truffle work. Teeth deserve a close look at the annual exam, since a dog that digs and carries can wear or damage teeth quietly. Lagotti are affectionate but can be reserved in new settings, so a calm arrival, familiar handling of ears and mouth practised at home, and a favourite reward after the exam help the vet complete a relaxed, thorough check rather than a rushed one.
Booking between annual visits
Book sooner if ear scratching becomes constant, a strong ear odour develops, stools stay loose despite a steady diet, or your dog goes off food and seems subdued. Limping after digging that does not settle, eye discharge, a lump under the curls, or weight change you can feel through the coat also justify an earlier appointment. Puppies with persistent digestive trouble and seniors losing enthusiasm for walks or scent games should not wait for the yearly slot. The annual checkup sets the pattern; the details you track about ears, digestion, and coat between visits are what make it genuinely preventive.
Notes on ears, curls, and digestion for a Lagotto
A Lagotto's recurring questions tend to involve ears, coat, and digestion, so keep a simple running note on all three: ear scratching or odour, what the groomer found under the curls, stool consistency, and what the dog was eating at the time. Bring that note, plus clinic weights and exam summaries, to the annual visit, and the vet can judge whether an ear problem is seasonal, whether digestion tracks with diet, and whether coat condition is changing. Specifics collected calmly at home are worth far more than impressions reconstructed in the consult room. Saved in Pet Passport on KinsLe, your Lagotto's ear, coat, and digestion diary is complete before each checkup starts.