What should I expect at my puppy’s first veterinary visit?

So you should expect a lot of information. So when we first see puppies, we try to go over a lot. So we try to reinforce that at future visits because I know when you're in the office, it can feel almost overwhelming having that first puppy. You should expect the veterinarian to do a thorough examination from head to toe as they look for any ecto or internal parasites, such as fleas and ticks. Internal parasites could be worms. They might be stuck underneath the tail.

At the first visit, we're going to ask you many questions. We're going to check on what the vaccine schedule has been so far. Well have you bring a fecal sample, and we're going to do a thorough physical and spend a lot of time talking to you about important things like preventative care, when the next visit is due, and what sort of training you should get started at that time.

Right now, we're working curbside, but generally, we will be allowing you to come in with your puppy. You’ll have a face-to-face meeting with the veterinarian, being me, if you happen to come here. So we bring you in, and we want to get to know the puppy. Although you've not had the puppy very long, you know a little more about their habits and things. And so, we want to get to know the puppy and how the puppy's doing at home. We're going to ask you some history.

Also, it's always a good idea to make sure that you're bringing anything that the breeder or the shelter or rescue may have given you, as far as any paperwork to go over that and make sure that your puppy is up to date. We don't need to update vaccines or dewormers or anything along those lines. Cal here is my helper today, so you may see his head or part of his body pop in occasionally. We will do a nice, detailed physical exam on your puppy, ensuring that we are checking him from nose to tail and making sure they’re healthy and up to date on everything they need.

When you first bring your puppy in, we begin by asking for a full history, such as where you got the puppy and how long you've had it. We also like to know if the puppy is doing well at home. Then we will perform a complete exam from head to toe, which includes taking the puppy's temperature and checking for any health abnormalities. We conduct an intestinal parasite check by taking a small stool sample and examining it under a microscope for worm eggs and fleas. If the puppy is old enough, usually around eight weeks, we administer the first vaccine. We also provide you with a 'puppy pack' to take home, which includes some puppy food, training information, pet health insurance details, and some samples for heartworm, flea, and tick prevention.