Care for Puppies & Kittens in Portland
It's always exciting when you bring home a new pet! Your cute, cuddly new friend is sure to make everyone around them smile.
As fun as this time is, there are some serious health care matters that must be attended to during the first year of your new pet's life.
Your vet will 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.
Followup 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
There are a lot of responsibilities that come with owning a new pet.
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 are happy to answer any questions you may have about caring for your puppy or kitten. We want to make sure you have all the information you need to help your pet thrive.
