Your Puppy or Kitten’s First Vet Visit
Your puppy or kitten's first vet visit is the beginning of a lifelong journey. Starting strong, with personalised care, expert advice, and a focus on positive experiences, helps set the tone for a long, healthy, and happy life together.
If you've just welcomed a new furry friend into your home, we’d love to meet them!
MAKING THEIR FIRST VISIT STRESS-FREE
First impressions count! We want your pet’s first experience at our clinic to be positive and as low-stress as possible.
For Puppies:
Carry them in your arms or in a secure crate or carrier with a slip-proof mat or towel inside. Until they’ve had at least two core vaccinations, it’s best to limit contact with other dogs or public surfaces.
We have treats on hand, but you might want to bring along their own high-value treats as well. Rewarding calm behaviour helps your puppy associate the clinic with good things.
For Kittens:
Use a covered carrier to help them feel safe and reduce visual stress and bring a blanket or towel with a familiar scent to comfort them.
Try to keep things quiet and calm on the way in. No loud music, quick movements, or strong scents.
WHEN SHOULD YOU BOOK?
Your puppy or kitten's first vet visit is the beginning of a lifelong journey. Starting strong, with personalised care, expert advice, and a focus on positive experiences, helps set the tone for a long, healthy, and happy life together.
If you've just welcomed a new furry friend into your home, we’d love to meet them!
Contact the Forth Vets team to book their first visit. We’ll be ready with gentle hands, helpful advice, and plenty of treats.
Your puppy or kitten’s first vet visit: What to expect
A Full Nose to Tail Examination
We will check your pet’s:
Weight and body condition
Temperature (if warranted) and hydration
Heart, lungs, eyes, ears, teeth, skin, and coat
Joints and general development
Assess for any birth defects such as hernias and discuss specific breed related issues
This helps us make sure your new pet is growing and developing well and gives us a baseline for their ongoing care.
Vaccinations and Scheduling
In Australia, puppies and kittens need a course of vaccinations to protect them from serious (and often life-threatening) diseases.
We’ll tailor a custom vaccination schedule based on their age, previous vaccine history, and local disease risks and set up an automated reminder schedule for you which is sent via SMS.
Keeping up with these boosters is crucial in those early months.
Parasite Prevention
Worming, flea control, and tick prevention are all vital parts of keeping your young pet healthy—not just for their sake, but for your household too. We’ll guide you through safe, age-appropriate products and help you set up a simple plan you can stick to.
We’ll advise on:
Intestinal worming (frequency depends on age)
Flea and tick prevention (especially in warmer months)
For a list of common parasites and treatments go here
Planning Ahead for Desexing
The ideal timing can vary depending on your pet’s breed, size, and lifestyle, so we’ll help you weigh up the options and decide what’s right for them.
Desexing has both health and behavioural benefits and can prevent unwanted litters, so it’s a conversation we’re happy to have early, even if the procedure is still months away.
Answer all your Questions
Whether you are a first-time pet parent or welcoming an additional pet into your family, we always allocate time for questions.
No question is too small. We’re here to support you from day one. Some common topics we often chat about include:
Diet: What, when, and how much to feed
Teething, chewing, and safe toys
Toilet training and litter box habits
Socialisation and behaviour
Microchipping
Provide a Complimentary Pet Passport
At our clinic, we offer a complimentary pet passport, a convenient booklet where you can keep all your pet’s important information in one place.
This includes microchip numbers, vaccination records, worming treatments, and general health notes, which can be easily updated at each visit.
It’s a handy way to track your pet’s care and ensure nothing is missed.
