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Puppy Care - First Vet Visit

Your puppy's first trip to the vet can be somewhat unsettling for patient and puppy parent alike. At Toronto veterinary clinic, Yonge Street Animal Hospital, we're inclined to believe, as so many of our clients do, that our four-footed companions transcend friendship to become family. And like family, they need to be taken care of starting with that first and oh so very important puppy check-up. There is no "right" or "required" time, per se, but ideally, your first puppy vet visit should allow you to have some understanding of your puppy so typically you would want to spend a day or two of discovery with your new best friend.

While an annual check-up as your puppy grows will help maintain and manage his or her health baseline, that first and important puppy vet check-up helps to establish and create that baseline. As with the annual check-up for your dog, your first puppy visit should be viewed as a "wellness exam" or healthcare maintenance and management that starts from the presumption that your puppy is healthy.

The protocol for your first puppy vet visit is routine, tpyical and will prove similar to each subsequent vet visit for a check-up. During the wellness exam you can expect your veterinarian to ask about your puppy's diet, exercise, breathing, thirst, elimination patterns and other general quality of life circumstances. Beyond the oral examination, the physical component of the exam typically starts with weight, walking and standing, whether your puppy appears bright, alert and engaged, his or her coat condition, skin, eyes, nose, face, ears mouth and teeth.

Beyond the oral and physical exam components, your vet will also listen to both the heart and lungs (breathing) to ensure no obvious underlying issues for your puppy. And finally, your vet will palpate or feel specific areas of your puppy including but not limited to pulse, lymph nodes, legs, abdomen and other areas around the kidneys, stomach and liver.

Following the check-up and exam, your Yonge Street Animal Hospital veterinarian will typically make preventive medication recommendations and treatment suggestions including for example, updating vaccinations, parasite control including fleas, ticks, internal parasites and heartworm and any weight management issues identified. Puppies, as with children, need a paced vaccination schedule in their first year, which should always be discussed with your veterinarian. Depending on your puppy, blood work may also be required to ensure a complete and thorough exam.

To schedule your first Toronto veterinary clinic, Yonge Street Animal Hospital check-up for your puppy or should you have a question about any veterinary or emergency veterinary clinic procedure please contact us at 647-846-6806 or complete our veterinary appointment form. We offer early morning, late evening Saturday morning hours for your convenience.