Your puppy's or kitten's first year of life is full of wonder - but it's also a critical time for their health. Our vets in Central Illinois can provide guidance, advice, and the highest quality of veterinary care for your four-legged family member.
Care for Puppies & Kittens
It's an exciting moment when your new puppy or kitten bounds into your home for the first time! This cute, snuggly new family member can't help but make everyone who interacts with them smile.
Fun as it may be, there are also some serious health care concerns to take care of during your new pet's first year of life.
Your vet can develop a custom health care plan to meet your pet's unique needs throughout their first year, and provide you with lots of support and guidance along the way!
Your Pet’s First Vet Visit
Ideally, puppies should see a vet for their initial appointment around six weeks of age, and kittens around eight weeks.
At this first vet visit, your pet will receive a comprehensive physical examination to assess their overall health, check for external parasites, and look for signs of any congenital defects.
Deworming medications for hookworms and roundworms will also be administered, along with 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 immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia.
Follow-up Appointments
Between the ages of 6 and 16 weeks, puppies and kittens should attend 3 to 4 veterinary appointments. These visits allow our vets to administer vaccines on schedule, and to assess your pet's overall health.
Puppy & Kitten Packages
Bringing home a new puppy or kitten comes with a lot of new responsibilities.
To help you navigate your puppy or kitten's first year, our team will provide plenty of guidance, support, and helpful information.
Our Kitten Packages and Puppy Packages contain everything you'll need to know about your pet’s early development, including:
- A vaccination and medical care schedule
- Information on spaying and neutering your pet
- Information on common medical problems such as heartworm disease, feline leukemia, and zoonosis
- Tips for how to socialize your puppy or kitten with animals and people, including pets already living in your home
- Basic puppy training guidelines
- Nutrition information
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!