Puppy and Kitten Health Checks

Welcoming a new four-legged family member is such a fun and exciting time, but it’s also important to give your new puppy or kitten the best possible start. This is why we recommend having your new bestie one of our new puppy and kitten health checks.

Together we’ll come up with the best plan to suit your and your new pet’s needs. Continue reading below for some advise about how to care for your new pet.

Kitten Health Checkups

 

Vaccinations:

Three core vaccinations are required for kittens at 6-8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks, and they’re not fully protected against disease until 10-14 days after the final vaccination. A yearly booster is also required. Even indoor only cats require regular vaccination. If your cat will be going outside we also recommend vaccination against the FIV virus.

Fleas:

No one likes an itchy kitten, especially the kitten! So we recommend a routine, monthly treatment to prevent fleas becoming a problem.

Feeding:

Good quality food is vital to little kitty’s health. We’ll recommend the best diet as well as the frequency of meals to suit different life stages.

 

Worming:

Cats need to be wormed every two weeks until s/he’s 12 weeks old, then monthly until six months of age. From then it’s a simple tablet or topical treatment every three months.

Microchip:

If your pet goes missing, a microchip is the best way to identify them, and get them safely returned to you. It can be done at any age, but new animals older than 12 weeks must be chipped before they can be registered with your local council. Remember to update your details with the registry if you move or change phone numbers.

Desexing:

Performed around 6 months of age, however for larger breed dogs our vets will discuss the pros and cons of later desexing at 12-18 months of age. Desexing will prevent pregnancy and can reduce wandering, anti-social behaviours as well as incidence of many medical conditions.

Insurance:

Unfortunately you can’t add Fluffy to your Medicare card, but you can take out pet insurance to help minimise unexpected costs associated with treating illness or injury.

Puppy Health Checks:

 

Vaccinations:

Puppies need a vaccination at 6 – 8 weeks and 10 – 12 weeks, with an additional booster at 16 – 18 weeks. Boosters are required regularly to maintain protection.

Heartworm:

This parasite is spread by mosquitoes so it’s essential to protect your new pup. A prevention program should be started by 12 weeks of age, either by injection or monthly products and continued for life.

Fleas:

No one likes an itchy puppy, especially the puppy! So we recommend a routine treatment to prevent fleas becoming a problem. Talk to us about the best product for your pet.

 

Feeding:

Good quality food is vital to your puppy’s health. We’ll recommend the best diet, as well as the frequency of meals to suit different life stages.

Worming:

Dogs need to be wormed every two weeks until s/he’s 12 weeks old, then monthly until six months of age. From then it’s a simple tablet or topical treatment every three months

Desexing:

This procedure is usually performed between 4 and 6 months of age – older for some larger breeds. It prevents pregnancy and can reduce wandering, anti-social behaviours and the incidence of many medical conditions.

Microchip:

If your pet goes missing, a microchip is the best way to identify them, and get them safely returned to you. It can be done at any age, but new animals older than 12 weeks must be chipped before they can be registered with your local council. Remember to update your details with the registry if you move or change phone numbers.

Insurance:

Unfortunately you can’t add Spot to your Medicare card or health care fund, but you can take out pet insurance to help minimise unexpected costs associated with treating illness or injury.

Puppy Preschool:

Up until 16 weeks of age, puppies are developing and they are learning the social skills which will help shape their personalities and behaviours. You do not have to wait for your puppy to finish their vaccines, puppies can start puppy preschool after their 1st vaccine (usually 8 weeks). Puppy preschool is a great way to switch on your puppy’s brain, interact with other pups and for you to learn some basic training skills and commands.
We highly recommend the classes run by Underdog Training and plan to be able to offer these in our clinic in the very near future. Watch this space.

If you’d like to find out more about our Puppy and Kitten Health Checkups, please contact our clinic on 03 9370 1900 or get in touch.