Our Jacksonville veterinarians offer their guidance and support during your puppy or kitten's first year of life and provide the highest quality of vet care.

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Care for Puppies & Kittens

Bringing home a new puppy or kitten is such an exciting time. This adorable new member of your family already brings so much joy to your life.

As fun as this time can be, it's also the time to take care of some serious healthcare business.

Your vet can discuss implementing a custom health care treatment plan to meet your new pet's specific needs during their first year of life to get them off to the best start.

Puppies & Kittens, Jacksonville Veterinarians

Your Pet’s First Appointment

Puppies and kittens should have their first appointment when they are six to eight weeks old.

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.

More About Physical Exams

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.

Follow-up Appointments

Puppies and kittens should attend veterinary appointments every 3 weeks starting when they turn six weeks old up until they are 18-20 weeks old. These visits allow our vets to assess your pet's health and to administer vaccines in the correct time frame so we don't have to restart the process.

Puppy & Kitten Information

There are so many responsibilities involved with bringing your new pet home.

To help you maneuver through your puppy or kitten's first year of life, our team provides exceptional guidance and support, along with helpful information.

Our team will provide you with everything you'll need to know about your pet’s early development, including:

  • A vaccination and medical care schedule
  • Nutrition information
  • Information on spaying and neutering your pet
  • Tips for how to socialize your puppy or kitten with animals and people, including pets already living in your home
  • Basic puppy training guidelines
  • Information on common medical problems such as heartworm disease, feline leukemia, and zoonosis

Our vets will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and put any concerns or worries to rest. We want to make sure that you and your puppy or kitten have everything you need to begin a wonderful life together!

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