Christmas is the perfect time of year for families to get a new puppy or kitten, often from Santa! We thought we would revisit some pointers that we at Coquet Vets feel is important to consider for your new family pet.

1. Come and Meet us!

We’d love to see you and your new addition and offer free puppy/kitten health checks. It is a very useful experience for your pet to visit the vets for a health check, as in the beginning, vets aren’t scary for them. This massively helps their socialisation and gives you peace of mind that your pet is healthy.

2. Vaccinations

It is important that your pet receives their core course of vaccines at the correct intervals to ensure their protection is maintained as the antibodies from their mothers fall. Depending on the breeder your new pet may have already had a trip to the vet and received vaccinations. Certain vaccine manufacturers are not cross compatible, so it’s important we have a chat to make sure your new pet is fully covered. Until your new pet has received their full vaccination course we strongly advised that they are kept indoors.

3. Flea and worming treatment

Again, ensuring your pet is covered against pesky parasites is important. Young animals can easily carry a parasitic burden so getting a fresh weight and the appropriate treatments on board is key.

4. Microchipping

It is a legal requirement for all dogs to be microchipped in the UK, however, this is not the case for cats. We believe that microchipping is important for all pets as it is really the only way your pet can be returned to you if they get lost. As pet owners, it is important that you always keep your details up to date in relation to your pet’s microchip.

5. Insurance

There are many insurance companies available on the market and it can seem a daunting task going through them all. We strongly recommend insurance is taken out for your new pet, the individual policy in itself is down to you. Through a provider we offer 4 weeks free insurance following a health check with one of our vets.

6. Socialisation

Your new pet is learning all the time so exposing them to different stimuli is very important. This can range from meeting family members to playing with their feet and ears to brushing their teeth! The more you do now the easier it will be when they are older.

7. Christmas Hazards!

It is very important at any time of year to be aware of hazards for your new pet, however, at Christmas it is even more important due to the increased number of hazards around! Hazards include chocolate, tinsel, baubles, mince pies and so much more… If you believe your pet has consumed anything then please call us immediately as many of these hazards can result in a life threatening illness. See our recent article here on some common festive foods that are toxic for pets.

To help spread the cost of preventative health care for your new pet we run the ‘Coquet Pet Club’, which is a monthly plan covering vaccination, flea and worming, and microchipping to name but a few. Please call us on 01665 252250 for more information or visit our Coquet Pet Club page here.