At Deer Creek Veterinary Hospital, each pet's first year of care is customized based your pet's and family's specific needs. Puppies and kittens require physical exams and vaccine boosters to ensure that they get the very best start in life.

​

​​

• Physical Exams: Your pet's lifetime of health starts with its first comprehensive physical exam. Puppies and kittens should have 3-4 exams between the ages of 8-16 weeks. These visits are important because they give our veterinarians an opportunity to assess your pet's overall health and to administer vaccines.
   

• Vaccinations: Due to their immature immune systems, puppies and kittens must receive a series of properly timed vaccines to stay healthy. Since every puppy and kitten is unique, we tailor our vaccination recommendations based on their lifestyle and/or breed, and according to the AVMA/AAFP guidelines. See our recommended Cat vaccine/wellness schedule and Dog vaccine/wellness schedule.

​

• Diagnostic Testing: We recommend that puppies are tested for heartworms at 6 months of age, if not done previously.   Kittens can be tested for Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).
   

• Additional Recommendations: Your veterinarian will also discuss and recommend other services, such as spaying and neutering or microchipping, heartworm preventative, and deworming, that can help your pet live a longer and healthier life