Congratulations on your new baby!

Awwww! It's so cute!

So, you've brought your new little baby home.

It's so adorable when it's sleeping.

You wish you knew if it were a boy or a girl.

What do you do with your new...



puppy or kitten now?

Proper Pet care is so important. Puppies and Kittens are like human babies. They need a series of vaccinations and other treatments in the first few months of their lives. Here is a sample Vaccination schedule; the times my differ depending on the age of your new little one.

6 wks: Vaccination (vx) de-worming
9 wks: Vx, another de-worming
12 wks: Vx
15 or 16 wks: Vx, and rabies Vx.

Kittens will also need to be tested for FIV/FELV which is a simple and fast test. Puppies should be tested for Heartworms which are spread by mosquitos.

6 months old: Spayed or Neutered

So, you are basically going to be taking your baby into the veterinarian every 3-4 weeks until they are 4 months old. Now, not only is that a lot of time, but it is also a lot of money! Imagine this: the typical office visit/exam is anywhere from $30-$40. Each vaccine runs $25-20, and there are multiple vaccines to be given. De-wormings are around $10, and the tests run around $30. Spays and Neuters- if done properly with blood tests, IV fluids, and proper monitoring, can be a few hundred.

Let me let you in on a little secret. First off, this is NOT an advertisment in anyway. It's just knowledge that I've gathered. I worked as a Veterinary Assistant/ Pet Nurse for 10 years. The last 2 years of that I was a Hospital director- meaning I ran a clinic. For the majority of those years, I worked at Banfield, the Pet Hospital. They are the Vet clinic inside of PetsMart!

One really good thing about Banfield is their Optimum Wellness Plans. Now, before you get bored, let me tell you the down side. I do not think that the plans are worth it for older pets. That is if you have a healthy pet that only needs vaccines once a year. But, I do think the puppy and kitten Wellness Plans are wonderful!

Here's the short explanation: You pay a membership fee, and then a monthly fee for a year. You get free office calls, all the vaccines, dewormings, and tests. There is also a plan that includes the Spay and Neuter. (complete with pre-surgery bloodwork, IV fluids, and the best surgical anethesia and care- this will be another post!)

Now, just sit back, relax, and watch that little bundle of... fur! Enjoy your pet! Get the proper medical care, and you will have a long-lasting relationship!