Like people, pets advance through several stages as they grow older. As your veterinary care provider, we are here to help you navigate through these years with your pet, in an effort to make his or her life as healthy and happy as possible.
Puppy and Kitten Care
We recommend that you bring your puppy or kitten in for his or her first visit at six weeks of age. During this initial visit, we will:
- Administer your pet’s first vaccinations (we follow American Animal Hospital Association guidelines for core and non-core vaccinations)
- For kittens — perform feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus testing
- Offer nutritional and behavioral counseling
- Offer parasite prevention to suit your pet’s lifestyle
- Perform a dental examination
- Provide a physical examination
- Provide recommendations on spaying/neutering your pet
- Test for intestinal parasites and provide deworming
Adolescent Dog and Cat Care
As your dog or cat ages, he or she should come in annually to visit our veterinarians. These annual exams allow us to detect potential health issues early on and provide us with an opportunity to begin any necessary treatments quickly. During these visits, you can expect:
- A complete physical examination
- A dental examination
- Nutritional and behavioral counseling
- Testing for intestinal parasites
- Vaccination boosters
Spaying and Neutering
At Clairmont Animal Hospital, we recommend spaying or neutering your dog or cat by six months of age. There are many compelling reasons and benefits associated with doing so, and these include:
- Lower cancer risks
- Minimizing aggressive behavior
- Reducing the unwanted pet population
Spaying and neutering are common veterinary surgeries with minimal risks, but do require anesthesia and sometimes a prolonged hospital stay. We also offer laparoscopic spays, utilizing tiny incisions that make this surgery more precise and less painful. For dogs prone to bloat, gastropexy is also recommended at six months of age.