Care for Puppies & Kittens
The joy that pet owners feel when bringing home their new puppy or kitten is indescribable. This new, cuddly little family member will steal the hearts of everyone they meet.
As exciting as it can be, there are still a lot of serious health care steps that need to be taken care of in your pet's first year of life.
Your vet will create a preventive care schedule that meets your pet's needs and lifestyle as well as offer advice and information packages to help guide you through this time.
Spay & Neuter Surgery for Cats & Dogs
Spaying and neutering are routine procedures at Countryside Veterinary Hospital that not only help manage the pet population, but also provide numerous health benefits.
Your Pet’s First Appointment
Puppies should ideally have their first veterinary appointment around six weeks of age, and kittens around eight weeks.
During this initial visit, your pet will receive a complete physical examination to assess their overall health, look for signs of any congenital defects, and check for external parasites.
We will also administer deworming medications for roundworms and hookworms, and the first round of puppy or kitten vaccinations.
More About Vaccines & Prevention
Finally, for kittens, we may recommend a blood test to check for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus.
Followup Appointments
Puppies and kittens should attend 3 to 4 veterinary appointments between the ages of 6 and 16 weeks. These visits allow our vets to assess your pet's overall health and to administer vaccines on schedule.
Puppy & Kitten Information Packs
Bringing home a new puppy or kitten comes with a lot of new responsibilities.
To help you navigate your puppy or kitten's first year, our team will provide plenty of guidance, support, and helpful information.
Our Kitten and Puppy information packs contain everything you'll need to know about your pet’s early development, including:
- A vaccination and medical care schedule
- Information on spaying and neutering your pet
- Information on common medical problems such as heartworm disease, feline leukemia, and zoonosis
- Tips for how to socialize your puppy or kitten with animals and people, including pets already living in your home
- Basic puppy training guidelines
- Nutrition information
Our vets will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. We want to make sure that you and your puppy or kitten have everything you need to begin a wonderful life together!