Puppy Care & Kitten Care for New Pet Owners
The first year of your dog or cat’s life is exciting for both you and your new pet, particularly if you are prepared for all the changes a new animal brings. With this in mind, the friendly veterinarians and staff at Pet Medical Center Sunland provide you with the training and behavioral counseling you need to ensure a safe and happy home for your puppy or kitten.
The First Visit (7-8 weeks of age)
We provide training and behavioral counseling, discuss dental care, nutrition, and flea and tick prevention including an application of Revolution. Your puppy or kitten also receives a wellness examination, vaccinations, a fecal screening for worms and intestinal parasites, and a deworming. All health care issues will be addressed and tailored to your pet’s individual needs.
The Second Visit (12 weeks)
Your new family member receives booster shots, a second deworming and application of Revolution, and an ear cleaning demonstration.
The Third Visit (16 weeks)
At this appointment, our veterinarians and staff give your pet a second wellness examination, booster shots, fecal examination, final deworming, an application of Revolution, and a microchip identification implant.
Spaying and Neutering (Five to six months or at an age appropriate for your specific dog): In addition to preventing unwanted pregnancies, spaying and neutering reduces the chance of many health risks in both dogs and cats. On the day of this routine surgery, our staff checks your pet in at 8:45 a.m. and monitors your animal throughout the procedure giving your puppy or kitten the best anesthesia and i.v. support possible. You then take your dog or cat home between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. The night of the surgery, you can feed your pet a little bit of food and resume normal feeding the next day. Be sure to give your pet the pain medication we prescribe even if your puppy or kitten doesn’t appear to be in pain, keep your animal quiet for several days, and make sure it doesn’t lick the sutures.
Microchip Identification Implant:
The veterinarians at Pet Medical Center Sunland recommend implanting a microchip when your puppy or kitten is 16 weeks of age to protect your pet against getting lost or stolen. During this simple procedure, your animal remains awake and you are able to stay in the room. The sterile implant is injected under your pet’s skin and causes little or no irritation. Before you leave our hospital, we provide you with everything you need to register your dog or cat.
For more information, be sure to read Pet Medical Center Sunland’s specifically designed Puppy Wellness and Kitten Wellness Programs.