A Healthy Start for Your New Best Friend
Congratulations! We cannot wait to meet your new fur-baby! Puppies and kittens require extra care and attention during their first year of life. You and your new pet will need to visit us regularly for age-appropriate examinations, vaccinations, diagnostics, and discussions about training and socialization. Our time with them, and you, will help ensure health and happiness!
Caring For Your New Puppy or Kitten
During your initial visit, we will discuss age-appropriate socialization, as well as recommended services such as spay-neuter and microchipping.
Physical Examinations
Between 8-16 weeks of age, we recommend your puppy or kitten have 3-4 physical exams. These exams provide a health baseline and allow your veterinarian to administer necessary vaccinations.
Vaccinations
Puppies and kittens have immature immune systems, making them more vulnerable to illness and disease. Vaccinations are administered in a carefully staged series. Each puppy and kitten is different, therefore our recommendations are tailored to lifestyle and breed.
Diagnostics
At 6-12 months of age, puppies should be tested for heartworm. During a kitten’s first visit, we recommend Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus testing, if not previously done.
Spay/Neuter Procedure
The veterinarians at Skinner Animal Clinic are experts in spay and neuter procedures and ensure a safe and comfortable procedure from start to finish.
These procedures promote longer and healthier lives. Additionally, you will experience far less challenges associated with natural sexual instincts, unwanted pregnancies, and heat periods.
Microchipping
While collars and ID tags are always encouraged, they are not fool proof. These forms of identification commonly fall off, get lost, or removed. To ensure the safety of your pet, we recommend using collars and tags and microchips!
Microchip implantation is quick, low cost and permanently implanted between your pet’s shoulder blades. With a unique identifying microchip number that is connected to your *contact information, if you and your pet are ever separated, you and your pet can be reunited!
* Microchips must be activated and contact information, should it change, be updated with the microchip company. A simple online update or phone call is all it takes!
