Puppies are usually adopted out between 6 and 8 weeks of age. You should bring your puppy in for a checkup within the first few days to make sure there are no problems, which may not be immediately visible to you. Exams are usually performed every 4 weeks up until your puppy is 5 months old. Frequent exams are important for young dogs because so much can change in a short time. Remember, dogs age faster than people, especially in the first year. Those 4 weeks between exams is almost equivalent to one year for people!

Each puppy will typically get two evaluations of their stool sample; one at the first visit and a second check at the next visit 4 weeks later. Intestinal parasites are common in young puppies, and because these parasites lay their eggs in cycles, parasites may not be visible on a single test. For this reason, we always like to check two samples, and will also recommend a preventive deworming, even if your pet was dewormed previously. Many of these intestinal parasites can be transmitted to people, so it is important that we don’t take any chances.

Spaying and neutering of dogs is beneficial in prevention of both behavioral and medical problems, and is generally performed between 6 and 12 months of age. Overpopulation is also a very large problem in our area, with all of the area shelters constantly over capacity. Spaying and neutering helps prevent additional challenges to this problem. Behavioral changes, such as roaming, humping (males), vaginal bleeding (females in heat), and aggression can be curtailed by sterilization. In females, there is a significantly higher risk of uterine and mammary cancers in dogs who are not spayed or are spayed later in life. Pyometra, a life-threatening infection in the uterus, is prevalent in unspayed females, as well. Males will have increased risk of prostatic problems, including cancer, if not neutered. Our new state-of-the art laparoscopic equipment makes the spay procedure much less painful and the recovery time much quicker for female dogs. Ask us about this option for your puppy. Some recent studies have shown possible breed-related problems later in life that may be linked to early spaying and neutering, so ask us if we think the standard recommendation should be changed for your pet.

We recommend a blood test at 20 weeks of age. This serves as a good pre-anesthetic panel for pets prior to their spay/neuter surgery, but also helps us detect congenital problems which may not be evident on physical examination. Liver disease, kidney disease, and bleeding disorders are all problems that can be detected with this early screening.

All dogs in our area of the country are at risk for these parasites all year round, even if they are kept mostly indoors. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitos, and just one bite from an infected mosquito can be fatal if a pet is not on a monthly preventive. Fleas and ticks are also present year-round and can transmit a variety of dangerous diseases, like Lyme Disease. Monthly preventives will also protect dogs from these parasites. Our staff is here to help guide you to the product that best suits your dog’s needs.

We recommend using a crate to train your puppy to urinate and defecate outside. Dogs will instinctively not soil their environment if it is a small, enclosed space in order to avoid having to walk or sleep in their own mess. As puppies get older, this instinct grows stronger. Of course, crate training must be coupled with a very consistent and regimented schedule for going outside and lots of positive reinforcement when they get it right! It is generally not a good idea to scold for accidents inside the house, as you do not want your puppy to become afraid of urinating or defecating around you when they are outside.

Socialization is an extremely important part of puppyhood. Exposing puppies to other animals, people, locations, and situations when they are young will help make them much more adaptable in the future. The window of socialization in puppies begins to close as early as 16 weeks, so don’t wait to get your puppy out of the house!

We highly recommend joining a training class with your puppy, too. Developing good manners at a young age will ensure your puppy will be good canine citizens as they get older (and bigger).

Kittens are usually adopted out between 6 and 8 weeks of age. You should bring your kitten in for a checkup within the first few days to make sure there are no problems which may not be immediately visible to you. Exams are usually performed every 4 weeks up until your kitten is 4 months old. Frequent exams are important for young cats because so much can change in a short time. Remember, cats age faster than people, especially in the first year. Those 4 weeks between exams is almost equivalent to one year for people!

Each kitten will typically get two evaluations of their stool sample; one at the first visit and a second check at the next visit 4 weeks later. Intestinal parasites are common in young kittens, and because these parasites lay their eggs in cycles, parasites may not be visible on a single test. For this reason, we always like to check two samples, and will also recommend a preventive deworming, even if your pet was dewormed previously. Many of these intestinal parasites can be transmitted to people, so it is important that we don’t take any chances.

Spaying and neutering of cats is beneficial in prevention of both behavioral and medical problems, and is generally performed at 6 months of age. Overpopulation is also a very large problem in our area, with all of the area shelters constantly over capacity. Spaying and neutering helps prevent additional challenges to this problem. Behavioral changes, such as roaming, vaginal bleeding (females in heat), urine marking, and aggression can be curtailed by sterilization. In females, there is a significantly higher risk of uterine and mammary cancers in cats who are not spayed or are spayed later in life. Pyometra, a life-threatening infection in the uterus, is prevalent in unspayed females, as well.

We recommend a blood test at 16 weeks of age. This serves as a good pre-anesthetic panel for pets prior to their spay/neuter surgery, but also helps us detect congenital problems which may not be evident on physical examination. Liver disease, kidney disease, and bleeding disorders are all problems that can be detected with this early screening.

All cats in our area of the country are at risk for heartworms all year round, even if they are kept indoors. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitos, and just one bite from an infected mosquito can be fatal if a pet is not on a monthly preventive. We recommend starting on a monthly preventive at your first kitten visit and continuing that throughout life. Most indoor cats will not be at risk for fleas and ticks, but outdoor cats should be protected from these parasites with a monthly preventive.

Fortunately, most cats instinctively train themselves to use a litter box. Cats like to be able to dig and cover their urine and feces, so a litter box provides them with a means to satisfy that natural instinct. It is a good idea to start a new kitten out in a small space with his/her litter box, and gradually expand his/her territory. This allows them to always know where their litter box is. If you have a dog in the house, make sure that your kitten has private access to the litter box in an area blocked off from the dog. If your cat does not feel safe in the litter box area, he or she may find other places in your house to take care of business! Homes with multiple cats may need more than one litter box. Veterinary behaviorists recommend having one more litter box in the house than the number of cats you have. This results in less competition for this resource. Also, don’t forget to scoop often. Cats are very clean animals and will sometimes avoid the litter box if there is already too much waste in there.

Socialization is an extremely important part of kittenhood. Exposing kitten to other animals, people, locations, and situations when they are young will help make them much more adaptable in the future.