Puppy & Kitten Veterinary Care
Care for Puppies & Kittens
Bringing home a new puppy or kitten is an exciting time! Your cute, cuddly new family member can't help but make everyone around them smile.
As fun as this time is, it is important that you take the right steps during your new friend's first year to set them up for long-term success.
The puppy or kitten veterinary services offered at New England Animal Hospital provide you with a custom health care plan to meet your pet's unique needs and plenty of support and guidance along the way!
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 will perform a blood test to check for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus.
Follow-up 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 new companion's first year, our team will provide plenty of advice, 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
- Nutritional counselling on the best diet for your new friend
- 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
Our vets are happy to answer any questions you may have about the proper care for your new family member. We want to make sure that you and your puppy or kitten have everything you need to begin a wonderful life together!