Puppy & Kitten Care
Veterinary care for young pets
"A kitten is, in the animal world, what a rosebud is in the garden. - Robert Sowthey"
"Happiness is a warm puppy. - Charles M. Schulz"
Woohoo! Congratulations on your new family member! Puppies and kittens are our very favorite part of veterinary medicine. We love it when the puppies and kittens visit our office.
Getting started right is the most important thing you can do for your new family member. We call it the “first year to good health for puppies and kittens.” It makes a big difference in their lives and your life, too. Consider this: when a pet is one year old, that is equal to seven years old for you and me. They are almost in their preteen years.
On your first visit, we like to spend a little extra time helping you and your new family member get off to a good, healthy start.
But before bringing that new puppy or kitten home, think about the following:
- Blanket – you can rub this all over the mother so that it will have a familiar and comforting smell at their new home
- Toys – we recommend Kong and Nylabone toys from day one
- Food – we recommend Hill’s Healthy Advantage Puppy/Kitten Food
- Treats – puppy/kitten treats
- Bowls
- Dog crate – for house training
- Pet carrier
- Leash and collar
- Grooming supplies – brush, shampoo, nail trimmers
- Pet insurance – we recommend Nationwide
- (Psst! Take a look at the recommended puppy and kitten health schedule before you get a pet.)
Once you have your new puppy or kitten at home, get them to your veterinarian right away. It is very common for puppies and kittens to have worms, ear mites, fleas, and other parasites. This is why we recommend scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as your new family member joins your household.
What does your puppy and kitten’s “first year to good health” look like?
Puppy Schedule
1st visit – 6 to 8 weeks old
- Wellness exam
- Nutritional counseling
- Training counseling
- Grooming counseling
- Fecal test – for intestinal parasites
- Deworming – almost all puppies and kittens have worms!
- Heartworm and flea/tick prevention
- Vaccines – first DHPP (distemper/parvo)
2nd visit – 9 to 11 weeks old
- Wellness exam
- County license
- Deworming
- Vaccines – second DHPP (distemper/parvo), first leptospirosis,
- first canine influenza, Bordetella (kennel cough)
3rd visit – 12 to 14 weeks old
- Wellness exam
- Deworming
- Vaccines – third DHPP (distemper/parvo), second leptospirosis, second canine influenza
4th visit – 15 to 17 weeks old
- Wellness exam
- Spay/neuter discussion – schedule
- Pre-op blood work
- Deworming
- Vaccines – fourth DHPP (distemper/parvo), rabies 1 year
5th visit – 6 months old
- Wellness exam
- Heartworm test
- Vaccines – Bordetella (kennel cough)
6th visit – 1 year old
- Wellness exam
- Adult deworming
- Adult wellness panel – blood work, fecal test, urine test, heartworm test
- Adult vaccines – DHPP (distemper/parvo), Bordetella (kennel cough), rabies 3 year
Kitten Schedule
Everything your pet needs under one roof. For immediate assistance, please contact our office directly by calling (937) 748-1378.
1st visit – 6 to 8 weeks old
- Wellness exam
- Nutritional counseling
- Fecal test – for intestinal parasites
- Deworming – almost all puppies and kittens have worms!
- Flea/tick prevention
- Vaccines – first FVRCP (distemper). FVRCP is one of the most
- common causes of diagnosed illness and death in domestic cats. This disease assaults the cat’s immune system, making him or her more predisposed to infections and diseases.
2nd visit – 9 to 11 weeks old
- Wellness exam
- Deworming
- Vaccines – second FVRCP (distemper), first FELV (leukemia)
3rd visit – 12 to 14 weeks old
- Wellness exam
- Deworming
- Vaccines – third FVRCP (distemper), second FELV (leukemia)
4th visit – 15 to 17 weeks old
- Wellness exam
- Spay/neuter discussion – schedule
- Pre-op blood work
- Deworming
- Vaccines – fourth FVRCP (distemper), rabies 1 year
5th visit – 1 year old
- Wellness exam
- Adult deworming
- Adult wellness panel – blood work, fecal test, urine test
