Care for Puppies & Kittens
It's a happy occasion when you get to take home a new kitten or puppy! This adorable, cuddly new member of the household has no choice but to make everyone who meets them smile.
As exciting as this can be, there is a fair amount of health care matters to take care of during your new friend's first year of life.
Your vet will establish a customized health care plan that's designed to meet the specific needs of your pet in their first year, and will give you lots of guidance and support along the way!
Your Pet’s First Appointment
It is ideal for puppies to visit the vet for the first time when they are approximately six weeks old and kittens when they are about eight weeks.
At this first visit, your pet will receive a comprehensive physical examination to check for external parasites, look for signs of congenital defects and assess their overall health.
We'll also apply deworming medications for roundworms and hookworms, and give them their first round of kitten or puppy vaccinations.
More About Vaccines & Prevention
Finally, for kittens, your vet will conduct a blood test to look for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia.
Follow-up Appointments
All puppies and kittens should see their vet approximately 3 to 4 times when they are between the ages of 6 and 16 weeks old. These visits let our vets examine the overall health of your pet and administer their vaccinations on schedule.
Puppy & Kitten Packages
When you bring home a new kitten or puppy you are also taking on many new responsibilities.
Our vets help you during your puppy or kitten's first year, by offering you lots of helpful information, support, and guidance.
The Kitten and Puppy Packages we provide you with at our hospital come with everything you will need to know in regard to your pet’s early development, such as:
- A vaccination and medical care schedule
- Nutrition information
- Information on spaying and neutering your pet
- Information on common medical problems such as heartworm disease, feline leukemia, and zoonosis
- Basic puppy training guidelines
- Tips for how to socialize your puppy or kitten with animals and people, including pets, already living in your home
Our vets at Rockland Veterinary are happy to answer any questions you might have and can put any of your worries or concerns to rest. We want to make sure that you and your puppy or kitten have everything you need to start your lives together!