Congratulations! Becoming the proud owner of a new puppy or kitten is a very exciting time! Pet ownership comes with wonderful benefits such as companionship and unconditional love, but there are also many responsibilities and it’s important that you are prepared for these so that you can ensure you offer the best possible care to your new addition. Providing them with a comfortable bed, a healthy balanced diet and plenty of stimulation and exercise are basic and fairly obvious needs. However, there are also some elements of puppy and kitten ownership that are often overlooked. We’ve put together the following tips about some of the less obvious, but nevertheless crucially important elements of providing proper care for your puppy or kitten.
 

Schedule spaying/neutering for your new puppy or kitten in Hinesville, GA

Spaying/neutering your animal is a very important part of pet ownership. Both terms refer to the removal of the reproductive organs, preventing your puppy or kitten from having any offspring when they are older. Putting your furbaby through an invasive surgery voluntarily may seem extreme, particularly when they are young, but neutering has been shown to have significant health and behavioral benefits as well as preventing unwanted pregnancy. In fact, studies show that the earlier an animal has the procedure, the more effective it is at preventing things like uterine infections, breast cancer and more. Your vet will be able to advise you at what age your pet needs to be to undergo spaying/neutering.

Ask your vet about vaccinations

When you take your new puppy or kitten to the vet in Hinesville, GA for their first check-up, one of the things that you will discuss is their schedule of vaccinations. Vaccinations are one of the most important parts of preventative pet care. This is because these vaccinations have been developed to provide animals with immunity against the most serious and deadly diseases that can affect them. When they are first born, their mother’s milk will give them some protection against these diseases, but this only lasts for a few weeks and when they move onto solid food, they will need vaccinations to keep them safe.

Vaccinations have saved the lives of countless pets over the years, and regular vaccinations help puppies and kittens grow into adult dogs and kittens that are healthy, free from disease and won’t pass infectious diseases to other animals that they come into contact with. When your pet is small, they will have a series of vaccinations fairly close together, which will build up their immunity. After this, they will move onto an adult vaccination schedule.

Puppies are typically vaccinated against:

• Canine distemper

• Canine parvovirus

• Kennel cough

• Leptospirosis

• Parainfluenza

Kittens are usually vaccinated against:

• Feline herpes virus

• Feline calicivirus

• Feline infectious enteritis

• Feline leukemia virus

Your vet will be happy to provide you with an accurate schedule of vaccinations which you should stick to as closely as possible. Being late with a vaccination could put your pet at risk.

Look at other pet preventatives

Vaccinations aren’t the only preventative care that your pet needs. Your new puppy or kitten will also be at risk of developing parasitic infections, even while still in the house. There are many different parasites which can affect our animals, from fleas and ticks to intestinal worms. Each can cause unpleasant and debilitating symptoms, and some can even affect the long-term health of your pet. One in particular, heartworms, are prevalent in dogs and can be life-threatening. Fortunately, there are plenty of different preventative products which you can use to keep your pet safe. These are available in a variety of forms, from pills which you can hide in their food, to collar, topical solutions and even injections. It’s crucial that you make a note of how often these need to be administered and that you remember to carry out their treatment at the necessary times. As with vaccinations, being even a little late with their preventatives could put your puppy or kitten at risk.

If you would like more tips about caring for new puppies and kittens, please call our knowledgeable veterinary team at Liberty Animal Clinic at (912) 368-4080.