Puppy & Kitten Care
It's exciting to take home a new puppy or kitten! This adorable new family member has no choice but to make everyone they meet, smile.
As fun as this is, there is also a handful of important healthcare matters to take care of during your new companion's first year of life.
Your vet will establish a healthcare plan that's customized to meet your puppy or kitten's specific needs during their first year, and provide you with lots of guidance and support along the way!
Your Pet’s First Appointment
Ideally, puppies should attend their first veterinary appointment when they are about six weeks of age, and kittens around eight weeks.
At this initial visit, your kitten or puppy will receive a full physical examination to evaluate their overall health, check for signs of any congenital defects, and test for external parasites.
Your vet will also apply deworming medications for roundworms and hookworms, and administer their first round of puppy or kitten vaccinations.
More About Vaccines & Prevention
Finally, for kittens, we'll conduct a blood test to look for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus.
Followup Appointments
Puppies and kittens should go to 3 to 4 veterinary appointments when they are between 6 and 16 weeks of age. These visits give your vet the opportunity to assess your new friend's overall health and administer vaccines on schedule.
Puppy & Kitten Information Packs
When you take home a new puppy or kitten you are also taking on many new responsibilities.
To help you find your way through your puppy or kitten's first year, our veterinary team will give you lots of guidance, support, and helpful information.
Our Kitten and Puppy information packs come with everything you may need to know about your pet’s early development, including:
- Nutrition information
- Information on spaying and neutering your pet
- A vaccination and medical care schedule
- Tips for how to socialize your puppy or kitten with animals and people, including pets, already living in your home
- Information on common medical problems such as heartworm disease, feline leukemia, and zoonosis
- Basic puppy training guidelines
Our vets are here to answer any questions that you might have and put any concerns or worries to rest. We want to ensure you and your puppy or kitten have everything you require to start a wonderful life together!
