How To Prepare For Your Kitten Or Puppy’s First Vet Visit
Congratulations on your new little bundle of puppy or kitten joy! The Urban Pet is so excited to welcome your new family member. Keep reading to learn how to prepare for your new puppy or kitten’s first vet visit.
When to Go to the Vet
It is never too soon to meet us! Besides the fact that we would like to get a dose of that baby animal sweetness, establishing care right away (within a couple of days of bringing your pet home) is a great idea.
Making an appointment to see us right away helps to ensure:
- That all your questions and concerns are answered
- Your pet receives all recommended care in a timely manner
- That we can establish a veterinary-client-patient relationship for your pet
- Any underlying problems are identified early
What to Expect at Your Pet’s First Visit
When you bring your puppy or kitten in to see us for the first time, it is often a big visit! There are some medical things that need to be done, but much of your first visit will also be used to answer questions and discuss care.
Most times at a first puppy or kitten visit, we will:
- Weigh your pet
- Examine your pet and discuss the findings
- Discuss deworming and fecal testing
- Perform any necessary vaccinations
- Start your pet on parasite prevention
- Discuss training and socialization
- Address nutritional needs
- Check in on housebreaking efforts
- Talk about all your concerns
This is the start of your pet’s wellness care. It can be a big visit, feel free to take notes! You can also contact us any time with questions that may pop up.
Be Prepared
What can you do to ensure that you and your new pet get the most out of your visit? Being prepared is key. Make sure to:
- Bring along any paperwork or medical records you may have (or better yet, send it to us ahead of time)
- Write down all of your questions so that you don’t forget to ask something
- Get your pet used to being handled—tickle their toes, look in their mouths, poke your finger in their ears! Don’t be afraid to handle them.
- Work on socializing young pets for a vet visit by having them hear other animals and meet different people
We are so proud to be able to help you welcome your new family member into your home. We hope that this is the start of a long relationship in which we can help you to help your pet thrive.