Does everyone do annual vet checks with their dogs every year (blood, poop, so as to get the Heartguard)? Any alternatives to keeping them safe and protected?

I do an annual check up in the spring for my dogs. Blood test (which includes all the tick borne illnesses since we're prone to them here), fecal, etc. Knock on wood, my dogs are healthy but I just feel better about having a vet go over them.

I don't schedule an "annual exam" for my dogs but as life would have it, they usually do all end up with at least one check up a year for one reason or another.