New Puppy and Kitten Wellness Checks
Congratulations on your new puppy or kitten! We hope you enjoy a wonderful lifetime of friendship with your new companion. Below are some tips to explain the healthcare your puppy or kitten will need during this stage of his/her life.
Vaccinations
Many serious diseases can be prevented by vaccination. Although puppies and kittens receive some disease immunity from their mother during nursing, this protection is only short-lived. Because of this, we recommend a series of vaccinations to start your puppy or kitten on the road to long term, complete protection. After these initial vaccinations, booster shots or regular vaccinations should be given annually or triennially to continue this protection throughout his/her life.
So what vaccinations should your pet receive? Please visit one of the two following pages for more information:
Canine Vaccinations (Puppies)
Feline Vaccinations (Kittens)
Other Things to Check
It is a good idea to check several fresh fecal, or stool, samples during the course of the vaccination schedule. This is to make sure that your puppy or kitten does not have any intestinal worms. Or, if it does, so we may be able to treat your pet accordingly.
Heartworm preventative should be started on all puppies at 7–8wks of age. This is very important in order to prevent this dangerous disease. Dogs over 6 months of age need a heartworm check performed on a small blood sample before beginning the treatment. It is vital that this check be done first, because the heartworm preventative medication is very dangerous if a dog already has the disease. This is why heartworm preventative is a prescription drug available only through your veterinarian.
Feline Leukemia (See Feline Vaccinations)
Feline leukemia is a deadly disease. To make sure your kitten is free of this disease, we perform a test on a small blood sample. Sadly, most kittens who have the disease do not survive their infancy; therefore, it is always a safe idea to check your new kitten before introducing him/her to other four-legged members of the household and before beginning vaccinations.
Your new puppy or kitten’s good health is our primary concern. We look forward to helping you and your pet enjoy happy, fulfilling, and healthy times together.