FARMING: Get set to welcome your new pet home

Their first visit to the practice is an important one and there is a lot to cover as we help you get your puppy or kitten settled and ensure they receive the best start to their new life. Consults for primary vaccinations or health checks for a new puppies or kittens become a well-rehearsed spiel for vets, as we cover everything from behavioural advice to flea and worm prevention several times a day, but last week I experienced this from the other side of the table as I brought home my new puppy.

I lost my last dog two years ago and after a long wait and a move to a new house, myself and my partner finally have another four legged companion. It was only as we went to visit him at his breeder’s home that I realised I was now the one who would need to know the answers regarding his worming history, diet and microchip details and how daunting it must be to receive so much information and remember the important bits when questioned by the vet!

Luckily our puppy’s breeder is an experienced and responsible breeder and provided us with a puppy pack containing all of his details. This makes it much easier to have to hand information for the first vet visit and make sure we have an up to date history. If you are not as lucky as we were here are some things to remember when collecting your new puppy or kitten:

Vaccinations: has your puppy or kitten had their primary course of vaccinations and when is

the second course due? Hopefully you’ll be given their vaccination booklet.

Microchip details: by law puppies must be microchipped and registered to their breeder. The new owner needs to update the details once they have the puppy. You’ll need their number and date of microchipping.

Worming history: it is important that puppies and kittens are wormed regularly during the first few months of their lives so you will need to know when they were last wormed and the product that was used.

Diet: remember to ask what your puppy or kitten has been fed with their breeder, it is a good idea to keep them on the same diet initially then transition them slowly if you want to change it. You’ll need to know how much they are fed and how often.

Training: it is a good idea to ask whether the breeder has started any training such as toilet training so that you know what to expect at home and how often they may need to be let outside.

Insurance and registration: if your puppy is kennel club registered you may be offered free insurance. You’ll also need their kennel club details.

The final thing to remember is to enjoy having a new puppy or kitten around, bringing a new furry member of the family home is an exciting time so remember to make the most of it! If you have any questions regarding bringing a new puppy or kitten home or about their first vet visit please don’t hesitate to call one of our practices for advice.

A photo in last week’s column featured a horse rider without safety gear. We’d like to point out that the photo was not from Alnorthumbria Vets and nor do they condone riding without safety gear.