Best Care for Puppies & Kittens
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Before you bring your new puppy or kitten home, make sure to have a plan for a few of the most basic elements of care.
A few tips include:
- Have a plan of where the animal will sleep
- Clearly define who handles feeding and outside trips or litter box duty
- Decide what areas of your home the animal is allowed or not allowed to go
- Choose who is responsible for basic training or how the whole family will participate in the process as age-appropriate
It is important to schedule an appointment for your new puppy or kitten to be checked over by our veterinarians. During this session, our doctor will check your pet’s vitals, look over their body from nose to tail, and run tests if there are any medical concerns. It is important to have your new pet evaluated so any conditions found are addressed quickly. Preventative care, house training and socialization will be discussed during your pet’s initial appointment as well.
Vaccines are especially important for both puppies & kittens. They help reduce their risk of diseases and illnesses. It is important to start building up your pet’s immune system when they are young.
- Kitten Vaccinations: In most cases, your kitten will follow a vaccination schedule at roughly eight, twelve, and sixteen weeks. The core vaccines for most young cats consists of panleukopenia (feline distemper), feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type I (rhinotracheitis), and rabies vaccinations. Non-core vaccinations include those for feline leukemia virus, Bordetella, Chlamydophila Felis, and feline immunodeficiency virus.
- Puppy Vaccinations: Young dogs follow a similar pattern of vaccination appointments at roughly eight, twelve, and sixteen weeks of age. Core vaccinations for puppies include canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis or adenovirus, and rabies. The most common non-core vaccinations for dogs are those that work against Bordetella bronchiseptica (kennel cough), Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme), and Leptospira bacteria.
