14201 South Dixie Highway, Palmetto Bay, FL 33176
Puppy & Kitten Care Made Simple
We want to give your new pet the healthiest and happiest start in life! Puppies and kittens are cute and exciting, but they need an abundance of care and attention. Staying up-to-date on wellness exams, vaccinations, and diagnostic testing is crucial! At your initial visit, we will explain the importance of additional services such as spay-neuter procedure and microchip implantation. You will also receive information on the importance of parasite prevention as well as your first month of heartworm prevention on us.
Puppy Wellness Exams
Tracking your puppy’s development is important to not only protect them from common puppy illnesses, but also so that they don’t develop any infections or parasites (some of which are dangerous to humans). We recommend bringing your puppy in for wellness exams at 8, 12, and 16 weeks. Each appointment will consist of a physical exam, along with administering any of the required vaccinations. During these appointments, be prepared to answer any questions about your puppy’s behavior and diet. Also don’t be afraid to ask us questions as well! Note: Please bring a fecal sample to each wellness appointment.
Puppy Vaccinations
Puppies need vaccinations to protect their immune systems from dangerous and potentially fatal conditions. Before your puppy has completed their series of vaccines, we suggest not to bring your puppy to dog parks, boarding facilities, daycares, and other areas where they might be exposed to common parasites or viruses in other dogs.
There are two kinds of puppy vaccinations, core and non-core vaccinations.
- Core Vaccinations: Distemper, Rabies, Parainfluenza, Hepatitis, and Parvovirus.
- Non-Core Vaccinations: Administered based on your pet’s lifestyle, risk of exposure, and health condition.
Kitten Wellness Exams
We recommend scheduling your kitten wellness exams every 3-4 weeks until the kitten reaches 16 weeks old. Seeing your kitten on a routine basis allows us to monitor your kitten’s growth, prevent parasites, and vaccinate against potential illnesses. Our team at South Kendall Animal Hospital will complete a full physical exam and will give your kitten its appropriate core and non-core vaccines during the wellness exams.
Kitten Vaccinations
Before vaccinating your kitten, we highly recommend keeping them in your own home as much as possible until they are given their required vaccines. Vaccines are important to kittens because they protect them from life-threatening conditions, which is extra important as their immune systems continue to develop.
The two types of vaccines for kittens are core and non-core vaccines.
- Core Vaccines: Rabies, Distemper, Calcivirus, and Rhinotracheitis
- Non-Core Vaccines: Administered based on your kitten’s lifestyle, risk of exposure, and health condition.
Spay/Neuter Procedure
Spay/neuter procedures promote a longer and healthier life for your pet. These are procedures that provide innumerable benefits! We highly recommend a spay or neuter procedure to reduce sexual instincts, unwanted behaviors, and the risk of infection and disease.
No two animals are alike, which is why each pet deserves a unique, clinical decision tailored to their age, size, breed, and lifestyle. Highly trained in spay and neuter procedures, the veterinary professionals at South Kendall Animal Hospital will provide a safe and comfortable procedure for your pet.
Spaying is the surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus
- Prevents unwanted pregnancies
- Eliminates messy heat cycles
- Prevents mammary and uterine complications such as cancer, pyometra, and infection
- Decreases the urge to roam
- Decreases aggressive behaviors
- Increases lifespan
- Better companion for you and your family
Neutering is the surgical removal of the testicles
- Decreases aggressive behaviors
- Prevents testicular cancer and an enlarged prostate
- Decreases the urge to roam
- Increases lifespan
- Better companion for you and your family
Multi-Cat Households
Cats living outdoors or spending time indoors with other cats may require special attention. We recommend having both cats be tested for feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), especially if you plan to introduce another cat to your household. We also strongly advise not to introduce your kitten to other cats until their test results have returned.
When introducing your cat to a multi-cat household, it will be a gradual process. Here are some tips to help a smooth transition:
- Place your kitten in a new room separate from the other cats in your home
- Without making physical contact, allow the cats to smell one another through a door
- Once they have recognized each other’s scent, after some time you can place your kitten in a carrier so that the other cats can see it
- Finally, you can allow them to interact
Microchipping
Accidents happen!
Veterinary hospitals and animals shelters across the country are able to scan lost pets for microchips in hopes of reuniting them with their owner. Implantation is quick, painless, and inexpensive. To minimize stress to your pet, we often implant the microchip at the same time as another procedure such as spay-neuter. Implanted beneath the skin and between the shoulder blades, this form of identification is permanent and programmed with your personal contact information.
Collars and ID tags are helpful, but not totally reliable. These forms of identification can fall off, get lost, or removed. At South Kendall Animal Hospital, we encourage all pets, indoor and outdoor, be microchipped, as well as use collars and ID tags.
