Congratulations on Bringing Home Your Newest Family Member!
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You took the plunge, you made the decision… and now your fur-baby is here! A new kitten or puppy is a source of cheer and warmth everywhere. It is well documented that the companionship of a pet has positive health benefits for people; even older dogs and cats will perk up when a puppy or kitten is introduced into the household. Puppies give unqualified love, affection, and devotion. Kittens are so playful that they can unravel the child in us. As a form of emotional outlet, pets reduce stress and make us feel more relaxed. There are some essential items to have for your little one from the start.
Puppies:
- Be sure to get the puppy’s health records – these will include dates of vaccinations and deworming’s.
- Inquire about the food your puppy has been eating and maintain your puppy’s diet with high quality food.
- Use food and water bowls that can be sanitized easily.
- Have a pet crate for bedtime and a pen for playtime to keep them safe and out of harm’s reach.
- Have shampoo and proper grooming tools handy.
- Have a collar, leash, identification tag and sturdy chew toys ready.
- Please make an appointment for an examination – we want be able to answer all of your questions to get you and your puppy started off on the right track.
With regard to puppies, you should be aware that a change of environment could cause many stress-related problems. A change of diet may cause diarrhea. Low blood sugar from a poor appetite or poor diet may cause hypoglycemia. Not drinking enough water may cause dehydration. These physical problems are often brought on by unavoidable stress, and are similar to problems you might have if you were moving to a new area. Just like you, your new puppy may not sleep or eat as regularly as it would in more familiar surroundings. Some puppies ease through the transition to their new homes, while others may have a harder time. If stress-related problems are ignored, secondary problems can become serious, even life-threatening.
Call us for advice anytime the puppy seems lethargic, or loses its appetite. The most important objective is to get your puppy to eat. Small breeds are more susceptible to low blood sugar and may need additional feedings in small quantities. Some puppies require privacy, coaxing, or companionship to eat. Every puppy is different. The puppy’s diet should never be changed rapidly. The puppy might not eat the strange new food, or if it does eat, develop diarrhea leading to dehydration and other complications. Diet changes should be made over a 1-2 week period to prevent digestive upsets. Always have clean fresh water available – puppies are little busybodies and need to replenish often. Rest is very important to your puppy. Puppies generally sleep throughout the day, waking only to play for a short time, eat, and have bathroom breaks. Do not expect the puppy to run and play all day. A human baby does not play all day either. Treat your puppy just the same as if it was a newborn infant being brought home from the hospital, and you won’t go wrong.
Vaccine boosters are needed every 2-3 weeks until they are four months old. The following are vaccines that are critical for the health of your new puppy:
- DHPPC — A 5-way vaccine used to help protect your puppy from several very deadly contagious diseases including Distemper and Parvo.
- Bordetella (Kennel Cough) – an intranasal vaccine given to prevent contagious tracheal bronchitis.
- Rabies – This vaccine is given to puppies 16 weeks and older to protect against rabies virus exposure.
Please keep your puppy away from parks or other areas where dogs may roam until the vaccine series is completed.
Deworming , Fecal Exam, Flea Control
There are many intestinal parasites your puppy may carry. We proactively deworm all puppies. It is normal to expect these worms to pass into the feces after treatment. Because the standard deworming medication does not treat all types of parasites a pet may have, it is also very important to obtain a stool sample to test for parasites. Some parasites are transmissible to humans, so this is a critical step for the health of your pet and protection of your family. An integrated flea and heartworm control program is also an important factor in your pet’s health and we have several options that we can discuss with you.
Kittens:
- Be sure to get your kitten’s health records – these will include dates of vaccinations and deworming’s.
- Inquire about the food your kitty has been eating and maintain the diet with high quality food.
- Use food and water bowls that can be sanitized easily.
- Have a soft plush bed with a hide space for bedtime, as well as a litter pan and cat litter for potty breaks, since these help keep them safe and built good hygiene habits.
- Have a collar, identification tag and play toys ready.
- Provide a cat scratching post to discourage scratching on the furniture and such.
- Please make an appointment for an examination – we want be able to answer all of your questions to get you and your kitty started off on the right track.
Kittens may become stressed and confused about being separated from mom and its siblings. All alone in an unfamiliar place he/she may become fearful and run away from family members or hide. It is important that the entire family goes slow with kitty and is gentle. By providing a soft cozy bed away from the household traffic your new kitten will feel safe and warm. Allow one-on-one meetings with family members including children and other pets. Always supervise these meetings. Allow your kitten to explore her/his new home room-by-room and be sure to “kitten proof” your home just as you would for your two-legged baby. Discourage clawing on the furniture by directing your kitten to the scratching post. You can encourage use of the litter pan by placing the kitten inside after playtime, mealtime or snooze time. Kittens are very smart and will learn to use the box quickly.
Every new kitten should be tested for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). If your kitten is carrying the FeLV virus it can drastically affect his/her life and it is important to be aware of this infection. If your kitten tests positive for FIV and is less than 6 months of age, we will want to retest once he/she is older. There is a possibility that the kitten is still carrying the mother’s antibodies to FIV and isn’t actually infected. If the retest is positive again, we will provide information on the best ways to have your kitten remain healthy throughout its life.
Kittens need vaccines! Vaccine boosters are needed every 2-3 weeks until they are four months old.
- FVRCPC — A 4-way vaccine used to help protect your kitten from several components of the feline upper respiratory viral complex.
- Rabies – This vaccine is given to kittens 16 weeks and older to protect against rabies virus exposure. This vaccine is recommended even for indoor cats due to the low risk of bat exposure and the human health concern if an unvaccinated cat happens to bite someone.
Please keep your kitten indoors until the vaccine series is completed.
Deworming , Fecal Exam, Flea Control
There are many intestinal parasites your kitten may carry- we proactively deworm all kittens. It is normal to expect these worms to pass into the feces after treatment. Because the standard deworming medication does not treat all types of parasites a pet may have, it is also very important to obtain a stool sample to test for parasites. Some parasites are transmissible to humans, so this is a critical step for the health of your pet and protection of your family. An integrated flea and heartworm control program is also an important factor in your pet’s health and we have several options that we can discuss with you.