Lakeland Veterinary Hospital

Puppy & Kitten Care

When bringing home a new puppy or kitten, it is easy to get caught up in the rush of excitement. For their future health and longevity, it is important to prioritize their veterinary care early and bring them in for an examination as soon as you are able. A complete physical examination will help you to take stock of your new pet’s needs and any potential health concerns.

Caring For Your New Puppy or Kitten

Similar to human children, puppies and kittens need more medical attention than adults to make sure they grow up strong and healthy. During these visits, the veterinarian will continue to monitor their growth and also administer vaccinations so their immune systems are fortified against serious contagious diseases from a young age.

Puppy Schedule:

  • 6-8 weeks: Physical examination, DAP* vaccine, fecal exam, monthly parasite prevention
  • 10-12 weeks: Physical examination, DAP vaccine, Lyme/Leptospirosis vaccine
  • 14-16 weeks: Physical examination, DAP vaccine, rabies vaccine, canine influenza vaccine

    *DAP is for canine distemper

Kitten Schedule

  • 6-8 weeks: Physical examination, PRC(FVRCP)* vaccine, fecal exam, FeLV testing, monthly parasite prevention
  • 10-12 weeks: Physical examination, PRC(FVRCP) vaccine, Feline Leukemia vaccine
  • 14-16 weeks: Physical examination, PRC(FVRCP) vaccine, rabies vaccine

    *PRC(FVRCP) is the feline distemper vaccination

During your puppy or kitten visits, your veterinarian will also be able to answer any questions you may have, as well as offer advice about raising your new baby animal. In addition to their medical needs, your veterinarian can also provide insight into their behavior, happiness, mental and emotional needs, and training.

Creating a strong repertoire of communication while your pet is growing will help you to feel comfortable to reach out to your veterinarian throughout their lives whenever you have a question or concern. This is something the doctors and staff at Lakeland Veterinary Hospital prioritize with all of its clients.

Spay/Neuter Procedure

The primary objective of spay/neuter procedure is to prevent the animal from reproducing, but there are several other benefits associated with the procedure.

Spaying, or the removal of the ovaries and uterus of female pets, decreases or eliminates the pet’s chance of contracting the following conditions:

  • Breast cancer
  • Uterine cancer
  • Pyometra (a life-threatening infection of the uterus)
  • Uterine infections

In addition, a spayed dog or cat will not have a heat cycle. During a heat cycle, it is common for both cats and dogs to behave unusually, make increased vocalizations, and bleed for days at a time. These behaviors and biological responses are often a headache for owners of female animals, but they can be avoided.

Neutering, or the removal of the testes of male pets, can decrease the pet’s chances of contracting the following conditions:

  • Testicular cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Benign prostatic hyperplasia

Neutered males also have a decreased desire to roam away from home, which helps keep them safe. Many people believe that neutered males are also easier to train than intact males, because they are better able to focus.

For both genders, spaying or neutering can relieve their owners from the financial, legal, and moral burdens of caring for an unplanned litter. Every year, tens of thousands of animals are euthanized because they do not have a home. Please avoid contributing to the pet homelessness crisis by preventing an unplanned litter and having your pet spayed or neutered.

Microchipping

Every year, millions of cats and dogs live on the streets as strays or are turned into animal shelters. Inevitably, many of these pets do have homes, but they were inextricably separated from their families because of some sort of accident.

According to a survey conducted by the ASPCA in recent years, the amount of pets separated from their families are becoming reunited at much higher rates than those of the past. This fortunate trend is mostly attributed to a singularly important factor: the rise in the popularity of microchipping. Because microchips are so effective, they are strongly recommended by animal adoption organizations and veterinarians nationwide; leading many owners of lost pet’s to have a better chance of finding them again.

A microchip located in your pet’s skin can be read by animal care professionals at veterinary offices and animal shelters around the country using a special scanner. The identification code associated with the microchip will lead the veterinary or shelter staff to your specific contact information. Once they reach you, you can be happily reunited with your lost pet.

The procedure for inserting the microchip is fast and has very little associated risk. It is inserted with a needle, and hardly any more painful or timely than a routine vaccination. Some pets do not even notice it happening.

Once the microchip is in place under the skin, the pet will never be separated from a form of identification for the rest of their lives.

Remember to update your contact information in the Home Again database following the insertion, and if you ever move or change phone numbers. This will ensure your pet’s identification will always be effective.

Join the Lakeland Veterinary Hospital Family Today!

Located behind Arby’s off Hwy. 371 in Baxter.

Phone: 218-829-1709

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