Puppy & Kitten Veterinary Care
Our veterinarians at Montecito Pet Hospital offer advice, guidance and the highest quality of veterinary care during your puppy or kitten's critical first year of life.
Care for Puppies & Kittens in Montecito
It's a joyous day when you bring a new puppy or kitten home! Your cute, cuddly new four-legged family member is probably making anyone who interacts with them smile.
As fun as this time may be, you also have some serious healthcare business to take care of during your new pet's first year of life.
Your Montecito vet can create a custom healthcare plan to meet your pet's unique needs during their first year, and offer plenty of support and guidance along the way!
We eagerly await your kitten or puppy's first visit to our veterinary hospital.
Your Pet’s First Appointment
Ideally, puppies should have their first veterinary appointment at about 6 weeks of age. For kittens, this appointment should happen at around 8 weeks.
During this initial visit, the veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination to assess your pet's overall health, check for signs of congenital defects and look for external parasites.
The vet will also administer deworming medications for hookworms and roundworms and the first round of kitten or puppy vaccinations.
More About Vaccines & Prevention
As a final step, we will perform a blood test for kittens to check for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus.
Followup Appointments
Between the ages of 6 and 16 weeks, your puppy or kitten should attend 3 to 4 appointments with the vet. These visits give our veterinarians a chance to check your pet's general health and to administer vaccines on schedule.
Puppy & Kitten Care Routines
Bringing home a new puppy or kitten is an exciting milestone that comes with many responsibilities.
Our team is here to help you navigate your kitten or puppy's first year, and to provide lots of guidance, support and helpful advice.
Our Kitten Packages and Puppy Care Routines have 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 are always happy to answer any questions you may have, and to ease any worries or concerns/ We'd love to ensure that you and your puppy or kitten have everything you need to start a wonderful life together!