When adopting a new puppy or kitten it’s very important to expose them to new people and environments as well as other pets after finishing their vaccination history. At about 3-14 weeks for puppies and 3-9 weeks for kittens we recommend introducing them to many new people and expose them to handling. This is very important so you can eliminate many fears and get them used to interacting with humans. This is very important for the clinic so we are able to handle them in an effective and safe manner when visiting the vet! There are many new faces to meet in the vet’s office and socializing them young will eliminate the fear they may have of new techs, assistants, receptions, and other clients. We will see your pets very often for the first 4 months of their lives, while they’re in with us keep track of their vaccination records and maintain a habit of annual exams and monthly heart worm, flea, and tick preventatives.

There is still a lot of work to do even after our friends outgrow their baby phase. It’s important to incorporate healthy routines throughout our pet’s life to ensure a long healthy life. The way you can do this is by doing daily walks, keeping maintenance on nails, and finding fun games to play. We recommend they participate in a various number of enrichment games to not only strengthen and build cognitive function but as well as muscular. These games should also stimulate exercise to keep their muscles strong, joints moving, and tire them out so everyone can have a peaceful night. Exercise deals heavily with weight management, just like a healthy diet. When feeding the proper diet it not only helps maintain an appropriate weight but may also assist in dental health as well as keep your pet’s coat shiny, soft, and cuddly the way you love it! Don’t forget to stop by the groomers for our friends who have thick coats or maybe get hair in their eyes, ears, or need special attention in other areas.

Another big issue we see very often is dental problems. The more your pet eats, ages, and lives plaque starts to build up! When that plaque hardens it’s called “tartar.” The only way to remove this tartar is through professional cleaning with a veterinarian. Dental cleanings with Dr.Pajl acts a “reset button” on the buildup and other issues such as infection, fractures, etc. in the mouth. Ultimately, getting a dental done is inevitable, but giving dental treats at home and creating a tooth brushing routine can postpone and reduce the need. Keeping track of your pets teeth is especially important since it can cause many other issues throughout the body if these teeth become infected or painful. If you’re concerned about your pets teeth DO NOT HESITATE to make an appointment with us!

Any questions? Read more at the AVMA website: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/socialization-dogs-and-cats