First-Time Pet Owners

By Dr. Joe J. Owens III

As a first-time pet owner, taking care of a puppy or kitten can be an exciting and overwhelming experience. There are several important aspects to consider to ensure that your furry friend grows up healthy and happy. At Animal Focus Vet, we understand how crucial it is to educate our clients on various topics to ensure best practices that will give pets a long and prosperous quality of life.

One of the essential factors in ensuring a pet’s health is vaccines, deworming, and anti-parasitic protocols. Your veterinarian will always be your best source of vaccine and prevention recommendations to keep your pet and your human family safe. Vaccines and deworming start as early as 6-8 weeks of age, with boosters every 3-4 weeks until they are 16 weeks old, and should be kept indoors until fully vaccinated. Your pet’s stool should be tested to rule out any intestinal parasites that can be harmful to you and potentially your human family if left undiagnosed and untreated.

About 50% of puppies are coprophagic, a condition where they ingest their feces. Most will grow out of this behavior with time, maturity, and positive reinforcement, but during the deworming puppy phase, pets with this behavior will re-ingest the intestinal parasite that was pushed out of the body with the stool from the dewormer, causing an extended auto-infection. Flea/tick and heartworm prevention are generally given as once/month medication administrations and come in the form of topical and oral medicine options.

Puppies and kittens require a diet that is high in protein and fat to support their growth and development. It is crucial to choose a high-quality, age-appropriate food that meets their daily nutritional needs that support growth and maintenance. We recommend name brands like Royal Canin or Hill’s Science Diet because of their quality and scientific studies behind their products with the intent to transition to adult variations after 12 months.

Spaying (ovariohysterectomy = females) and neutering (castration = males) can help prevent unwanted litters and reduce the risk of certain behavior and health problems, such as inappropriate urination, excessive libido, running away from home resulting in being hit by a car, various reproductive diseases, and cancers. In some states like Nevada, it is illegal to keep pets intact without a business license.

Wellness plans and pet medical insurance are two important options for pet owners to consider. Wellness plans are a monthly fee paid to a veterinary clinic that covers routine preventive care, such as vaccines, deworming, and check-ups. Pet medical insurance is similar to human health insurance, where monthly premiums are paid to assist in covering the cost of unexpected medical expenses. Both plans are beneficial over the life of the pet, but if you can only choose one, we recommend pet medical insurance.

So congratulations on your new addition! Take that furry loved one to your veterinarian ASAP for a proper physical exam, good conversation, and best recommendations to further understand what you and your family just acquired! And always remember, the best time to sign up for pet medical insurance is after your first physical exam and/or before the health concern arises to avoid any stipulations on pre-existing conditions. By taking these steps, you will surely be on your way to providing your furry family member with the best health care practices.