Raising Healthy Puppies and Kittens – By the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association
Adding a puppy or kitten to your family can be a very exciting time for everyone involved. Without a doubt, you want this new member of your family to be happy and healthy. To help your pet live a long and healthy life, here are some tips for making sure they are cared for properly and have a good upbringing.
Bringing Puppies and Kittens Home
For puppies, coming home with you can be exciting but remember that this could potentially be traumatic as well, since they will have just left their mother and littermates. Pay special attention to your puppy to help establish a strong bond between the two of you from an early point and build your pup’s confidence in his new environment.
For kittens, it is helpful to have a quiet and safe space just for him where his litter box and food and water are kept. You should join your pet in their space and talk quietly, giving your kitten some one-on-one attention. Be careful to keep the area free from the rest of the traffic in your home. Check out the NCVMA’s advice on introducing a new kitten to the family.
Vaccinations
Both kittens and puppies need to be vaccinated to keep them healthy and disease-free. Your pet should be kept safely in your house and yard until they have received all of their vaccinations. Kittens can begin receiving their vaccinations between two and four weeks after they are born. Puppies should receive their vaccinations beginning at six weeks and continuing every three to four weeks until they are 16 weeks old. They should also get preventative heartworm medication once each month, beginning at four months. Fleas and ticks should be controlled with topical medication. Both puppies and kittens should have regularly scheduled appointments with their veterinarians.
Spaying and Neutering
Puppies and kittens that are spayed or neutered have a significantly lower risk of future health trouble. These procedures can help them avoid certain types of cancer and reproductive health problems. For instance, spaying cats and dogs before their first heat can prevent mammary tumors later in their lives. It is recommended that cats should be eight weeks old and weigh at least two pounds before being spayed or neutered. Dogs should be spayed or neutered between the ages of three to six months. These procedures can also help in reducing behavior problems, particularly aggression and territory marking in males.
Daily Care
Regular care of cats’ and dogs’ teeth, eyes, ears and coats is important. Cats typically need less grooming care and can keep themselves fairly clean, while a puppy needs frequent brushing of his coat and even special shampoos to keep him healthy. Dogs also need their nails trimmed. A regular trip to the groomer can help ensure that dogs stay clean and healthy, while taking cats to the groomer is much less necessary.
Like humans, balanced and proper nutrition is important for your pet. Feed them high quality food that is created specifically for their size, breed and nutritional needs. Some puppy and kitten food is enriched with vitamins and minerals that they need and which are not found in adult food. Feeding your pet the proper type of food for their stage of development can have a big impact on them.
Check out this post on how to read pet food labels for extra help in raising healthy puppies and kittens.
Your puppy or kitten is an important new member of your family. It will need love and proper care to develop into a physically and emotionally healthy adult. When you take these measures early on in their lives, you can help ensure that your pet will be around for many years. Consult your veterinarian for additional information on raising a healthy puppy or kitten.
The North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association (NCVMA) is a professional organization of veterinarians dedicated to compassionate animal care and quality medicine. For more information, visit www.ncvma.org, follow us on Twitter at @NCVMA, or call (800) 446-2862 or (919) 851-5850.