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Puppy & Kitten Veterinary Care

Our Aptos-Creekside Pet Hospital veterinary team provides advice and high quality veterinary care throughout your kitten or puppy's key first year of life. 

Book Exam Online (831) 688-4242

Care for Puppies & Kittens

Bringing a new kitten or puppy home is an exciting time. This cuddly and cute new member of the family won't be able to help but make everyone around them smile.

Fun as it may be, there is also some serious health care business to take care of during your new pet's first year of life.

Your vet will develop a custom health care plan to meet your pet's specific needs during their first year, and provide you with plenty of support and guidance along the way!

Puppies & Kittens, Santa Cruz County Veterinarians

Your Pet’s First Appointment

Ideally, puppies should have their first veterinary appointment at about six weeks of age, and kittens about eight weeks. 

During this first visit, your pet will receive a comprehensive physical examination to assess their overall health, to look for any signs of congenital defects and to check for external parasites. 

More About Physical Exams

We will also administer deworming medications for roundworms and hookworms, and the first round of puppy or kitten vaccinations.

More About Vaccines & Prevention

Lastly, for kittens we will check for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus using a blood test. 

Followup Appointments

Puppies and kittens should attend 3 to 4 veterinary appointments between the ages of 6 and 16 weeks. These visits allow our vets to assess your pet's overall health and to administer vaccines on schedule.

Puppy & Kitten Packages

Bringing home a new puppy or kitten comes with a lot of new responsibilities.

To help you navigate your puppy or kitten's first year, our team will provide plenty of guidance, support, and helpful information.

Our Kitten Packages and Puppy Packages contain everything you'll need to know about your pet’s early development, including:

  • A vaccination and medical care schedule
  • Nutrition information
  • Basic puppy training guidelines
  • Information on spaying and neutering your pet
  • Information on common medical problems such as heartworm disease, feline leukemia, and zoonosis
  • Tips for how to socialize your puppy or kitten with animals and people, including pets already living in your home

Our vets will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and put any concerns or worries to rest. We want to make sure that you and your puppy or kitten have everything you need to begin a wonderful life together!

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New Patients Welcome

Aptos-Creekside Pet Hospital is accepting new patients! Our experienced vets are passionate about the health of Santa Cruz County companion animals. Get in touch today to book your pet's first appointment.

Contact Us

Book Online (831) 688-4242