For both puppies and kittens, we recommend starting veterinary care as soon as you bring them home. This will include wellness exams, vaccines, and the spay/neuter procedure.
Wellness exams and vaccinations allow us to monitor your puppy's growth and set them up for success. We will see them much more while they are young than when they get older. We recommend visits at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks of age. During each examination, we will administer all core vaccines, as well as non-core vaccines depending on lifestyle.
We highly recommend keeping your puppy at home until all vaccines have been administered. Core vaccines include distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus, rabies, and leptospirosis. Non-core vaccines are for bordetella and canine influenza.
Apart from examinations and vaccines, our staff at Founders Green animal clinic are more than happy to answer any questions that you might have about raising your puppy. We can advise on obedience training, nutrition and exercise, and more. We are happy to be a resource for you and your pet.
Similar to puppies, kittens will need routine wellness exams and vaccinations as they grow. The timeline is the same at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age.
Core vaccines for kittens include FVRCP and Rabies. Non-core vaccines include feline leukemia.
Just like for dogs, you should keep your kitten at home until they have received all necessary shots to prevent the spread of dangerous diseases to other pets.
If you already have a cat at home, you likely know how temperamental cats can be. Even the sweetest felines can be less than thrilled about a new kitten in the mix, so there are a few things you can do to ease them into the transition. We recommend confining the kitten to one area of the house like a bathroom or bedroom. Let your kitten and older cats smell each other through the door before introducing them. After a few days, place your kitten in a carrier and let your other cats see them inside it and sniff around. If all of that goes well, you can let them interact with each other.
Do not rush this process, as it can take a while for everyone to feel comfortable. We are happy to recommend products that release calming pheromones into the air that are shown to help this process. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out.
Phone: 720-769-8754
