Care for Puppies & Kittens
It is always exciting bringing home a new puppy or kitten! Your cute and cuddly new family member is sure to warm the hearts of everyone around them.
As fun as this time is, it is important to take care of your new pet's health and set them up for long-term wellbeing.
At Eastham Veterinary Hospital, our vets work with you to develop a custom health care plan to meet your pet's specific needs during their first year, and provide you with 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 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 you may have, and put any concerns or worries to rest. We want to make sure that you and your puppy or kitten have everything you need to begin a wonderful life together!