As we mentioned in the section on babies, puppies and kittens need to be assessed as soon as possible. Regardless of how healthy you might think your little puppy or kitten is, we will still want to start them on a course of vaccines.

Ideally, the initial vaccination should be given at six weeks of age. However, if the pet is not, for one reason or another, available for vaccination at six weeks, we would like to vaccinate your animal as soon as you are able to get the puppy or kitten to the hospital. The follow-up visits, because all vaccinations require follow-ups, depend on the age of the puppy or kitten once they receive that initial vaccination.

We don't believe in blanket health care. We administer vaccines based solely and completely on the needs of your pet.

Prior to vaccination, all kittens should be tested for feline leukemia and feline AIDS. Certain medications are not effective if the kitten has already developed either of these diseases.

All puppies and kittens should be de-wormed as early as possible. If we get your pet at a very young age, we might wait just a little bit to ensure that the pet's internal organs are strong enough to handle treatment.

All puppies and kittens are tested, as early as possible, for intestinal parasites.

If you chose to get a pet from the Humane Society, or take in a stray, or in some other way inherit an older pet, it should be brought in for a full physical exam as soon as possible.

Dogs over six months should always be tested for heartworm.