PUPPY & KITTEN CARE

Bringing home a new puppy or kitten is exciting, a little chaotic and usually comes with plenty of questions.

What should they eat? When are vaccinations due? When should they be desexed? Are they growing properly? Is that behaviour normal?

At Latrobe Vets, we see these early visits as much more than a vaccination appointment. They are the beginning of a long relationship with you and your pet.

Our job is to help you understand what your puppy or kitten needs now, what to expect as they grow and how to give them the healthiest possible start.

Every puppy and kitten comes to us with a different background, breed, lifestyle and history, so we start by getting to know them.

We will talk about where your pet has come from, what care they have already received and any questions or concerns you have.

Your vet will also carry out a thorough physical examination, checking things such as:

• Heart and Lungs
• Dental development and Bite
• Growth and Body condition
• Skin, Coat, Eyes and Ears
• Joints and Development
• Hernias or Other developmental concerns
• Behaviour or temperament changes that may need attention

The earlier we identify something that is not quite right, the more opportunity we usually have to manage it well.

Vaccinations are an important part of puppy and kitten care, but they are only one piece of the picture.

During these early visits, we can also guide you through:

• Worm, Flea, tick and Parasite Prevention
• Microchipping
• Nutrition and Healthy growth
• Socialisation and Puppy school
• Behaviour
• Dental development
• Desexing
• Pet insurance
• Ongoing preventative healthcare

There can be a lot to take in, particularly for first-time pet owners. We would much rather explain things clearly, answer your questions and give you useful information to refer back to than send you home trying to remember everything from one consultation.

Our nurses are also an important part of this support and can help with follow-up questions and practical advice after your appointment.

Young puppies and kittens require a series of vaccinations while their immune systems are developing.

The schedule we recommend will depend on your pet's age, previous vaccination history and individual circumstances.

Bring along any vaccination records you have, and we can work out what is due next.

And while the vaccination itself may only take a moment, the appointment gives us another valuable opportunity to check that your growing pet is healthy and developing as expected.

Puppies and kittens do a remarkable amount of growing in their first year.

Good nutrition during this stage helps support healthy bones, muscles and development, but the right food and portion size can vary considerably between pets.

We can help you work out what suits your puppy or kitten, how much they should be eating and whether their growth and body condition are on track.

This is particularly important for some breeds where nutrition and growth rate can have a significant impact on development.

The puppy bouncing around the consultation room today will hopefully become the adult dog we see for annual health checks and, many years from now, the grey-faced senior we help keep comfortable.

That long-term relationship matters to us.

Starting with good preventative care, regular health checks and a veterinary team you feel comfortable asking questions of can make a real difference throughout your pet's life.