What a Coton wellness visit should cover
A routine wellness check for a Coton de Tulear should cover the standard full-body exam — weight, heart and lung sounds, abdominal feel, ears, eyes and coat — with deliberate extra attention to the mouth, the kneecaps and the skin. This small companion breed looks low-maintenance, but its small jaw, cotton-textured coat and occasional wobbly kneecaps reward a vet who checks those areas on purpose. Arrive with notes on appetite, water intake, toilet habits, scratching and energy, because in a dog of this size a small shift is proportionally a large one, and your observations guide where the vet looks hardest.
Teeth in a very small mouth
A Coton's mouth is a priority because small jaws crowd teeth together, and plaque hardens into tartar in the tight spaces where a brush rarely reaches. The vet lifts the lips to check the gum line for redness, looks for retained baby teeth in a young Coton, and notes any tooth that looks loose or discoloured. Bad breath in a Coton is information, not just an inconvenience — mention it. Ask whether home brushing is going well enough or whether a professional clean should be planned, and have the answer recorded so next year's comparison is honest rather than remembered.
Kneecaps, gait and little legs
The vet will feel each kneecap while gently moving the hind legs, because kneecaps that slip out of place are a known issue in small breeds including the Coton. Watch for the vet asking your dog to walk across the room: a brief skip or hop in the back leg, even one that corrects itself, is exactly the detail worth reporting if you have seen it at home. A Coton who suddenly carries a hind leg for a few steps and then trots normally is showing the classic pattern this check looks for. Note whether it happens after rest, after play or on slippery floors, since the pattern helps the vet judge significance.
Skin and ears under the cotton coat
A Coton's fluffy white coat conceals the skin, so the vet should part the hair and inspect the skin on the belly, in the armpits and around the ears rather than judging by the coat's surface. Redness, flaky patches or an oily feel can point to irritation or allergy patterns worth tracking across visits. The ears get checked inside because hair in the ear canal and the breed's fondness for close contact with soft furnishings can trap moisture. Mention tear staining that has worsened, paw licking or seasonal scratching, and ask whether the timing suggests an environmental trigger worth noting in the record.
Weight in a dog built for laps
Cotons gain weight invisibly under the coat, so the vet scores body condition by feeling the ribs and waist rather than trusting the scale alone. A companion dog who is carried often and exercised in short bursts can drift upwards without anyone noticing, and extra weight loads those small kneecaps and joints. Discuss honest portion sizes, treat frequency and daily activity, and agree a target the whole household can keep. Bloodwork is commonly suggested as a Coton moves into middle age, giving baselines for organ function long before symptoms would raise questions.
When a Coton should be seen sooner
Bring the appointment forward if your Coton stops eating, develops persistent scratching or ear odour, starts skipping on a hind leg regularly, shows swelling along the gum line, or becomes unusually quiet for a breed that lives to be involved. Small dogs compensate quietly, so a clear change in routine is reason enough to call. If a groomer, sitter or new vet ever needs the background quickly, KinsLe's Pet Passport holds your Coton's dental notes, knee findings and bloodwork in one packet that can be handed over on the spot.