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Health & Fitness

A New Puppy or Kitten for the Holidays?

Caring for your new furry bundle of joy.

I cannot imagine anything more exciting than a new puppy or kitten at the holidays! What a way to start the New Year.

I strongly encourage you to bring your new family member to a veterinarian within 24 hours of rescuing, adopting or purchasing a new pet. This is solely for the purpose of establishing that your new bundle of joy does not have any obvious physical defects.

For instance, close auscultation of the heart and lungs is extremely important. Although rare, we sometimes uncover congenital heart defects. We'll also be checking the puppy or kitten for the presence of any other congenital physical defects including hernias, cleft hard palates, cryptorchidism (the testicles fail to descend by 6 weeks of age), etc. A complete check of the skin is also very important at this time. This will reduce the risk of introducing any external parasites into the home.

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We'll want to check a fecal sample for the presence of intestinal parasites. In addition to the importance of uncovering any parasites for the general health of the puppy or kitten, it is extremely important when there are infants, toddlers or immune compromised individuals within the household since there is the potential for zoonotic disease (spread to humans).

Your new puppy or kitten's health record up to that point will also be reviewed. We'll update you on vaccines and provide you with a timetable as to when boosters are due. This or during further visits is great time to come prepared with any questions you may have. These may include questions on diet, any breed genetic dispositions, and the general care and well being for your new pet.  In addition, over the course of your visits we'll be providing you with additional important information regarding training, regular in-home care (dental care, bathing/grooming needs for the breed, ear cleaning, nail trimming, etc.), as well as optimal timing for spaying/neutering may be addressed.

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