Puppy & Kitten Veterinary Care
in San Jose, CA

The first visit typically happens between six and eight weeks of age, though rescue pets may arrive at the clinic at a slightly different stage. During this appointment, we perform a complete nose-to-tail physical examination: listening to the heart and lungs, checking eyes, ears, skin, and teeth, palpating the abdomen, and evaluating your pet's overall body condition.

We'll review what you know about your pet's vaccination history, where they came from, and any symptoms or concerns you've noticed at home. This is also your chance to ask questions — about feeding, behavior, crate training, litter box habits, or anything else on your mind. Together, we'll outline a plan for the coming weeks: which vaccines are due, when parasite prevention starts, and when to schedule the next visit.

Bring any records you have from the breeder, rescue, or shelter. Even partial information helps us avoid repeating vaccines unnecessarily and gives us a clearer picture of where your pet stands.

Puppies and kittens don't receive full immunity from a single vaccine. Instead, they need a series of boosters spaced several weeks apart as maternal antibodies wane and their own immune systems mature. This is why vaccine schedules for young pets involve multiple visits — each appointment is an opportunity to boost protection and monitor growth.

Core vaccines for dogs include distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and rabies. Core vaccines for cats include panleukopenia, calicivirus, herpesvirus, and rabies. Lifestyle vaccines — such as bordetella, leptospirosis, or feline leukemia — are recommended based on your pet's environment, travel habits, and exposure risk.

We never take a blanket approach. A rescue puppy with unknown history may need a slightly different plan than a puppy from a breeder with documented vaccines. We'll review what your pet has already received, factor in their age and lifestyle, and build a schedule that makes sense for them specifically.

Many puppies and kittens are born with or acquire intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms, and coccidia. These parasites can cause diarrhea, poor growth, vomiting, and lethargy — and some are transmissible to humans. A fecal exam at your pet's first visit helps us identify and treat any existing infections.

Heartworm disease, transmitted by mosquitoes, is a serious and potentially fatal condition that affects both dogs and cats. Starting prevention early — and maintaining it year-round — is one of the most important things you can do for your pet's long-term health. Flea and tick prevention is equally important in the South Bay, where warm temperatures keep parasites active throughout the year.

We'll recommend testing and prevention products based on your pet's age, weight, and lifestyle. Prevention is far simpler and less expensive than treating an established infection, and we'll help you find a product that fits your routine.

Puppies and kittens have different nutritional needs than adult animals. They require more calories, higher protein, and specific ratios of calcium and phosphorus for proper bone development. Feeding a food labeled for your pet's life stage — puppy, kitten, or growth — ensures they get what they need during this critical period.

Overfeeding is one of the most common mistakes new pet owners make. Even a few extra pounds can stress developing joints and set the stage for obesity later in life. We'll help you determine appropriate portion sizes based on your pet's breed, expected adult size, and current body condition. We'll also discuss feeding frequency — most young pets do best with two to three measured meals per day.

Sudden food changes can cause diarrhea and vomiting, so we'll guide you on how to transition to a new diet gradually if needed. We're also happy to discuss treats and supplements — some are beneficial, others are unnecessary or even harmful for growing pets.

A microchip is a tiny device, about the size of a grain of rice, implanted just beneath the skin between the shoulder blades. It contains a unique identification number that can be read by any shelter or veterinary clinic with a universal scanner. Unlike a collar or tag, a microchip can't fall off, be removed, or become illegible.

The implantation is quick and feels like a routine vaccination — most puppies and kittens barely react. We recommend microchipping at the same visit as a vaccine appointment so your pet is protected from the start. After implantation, you'll register the chip with your contact information in a national recovery database. Without registration, the chip number is useless, so we'll walk you through that step before you leave.

Studies consistently show that microchipped pets are far more likely to be reunited with their owners than those without. It's a simple, one-time investment that provides lifelong peace of mind.

The ideal age for spaying or neutering isn't the same for every pet. Large-breed dogs, for example, may benefit from waiting until they're closer to skeletal maturity, while smaller breeds may be ready earlier. For cats, timing depends on weight, health, and whether the cat lives exclusively indoors.

Spaying and neutering offer significant health benefits — reduced risk of certain cancers, elimination of heat cycles, and lower likelihood of hormone-driven behaviors like roaming and marking. But the right timing matters, and it's a conversation we'll have based on your pet's specific situation rather than a fixed age rule.

During puppy and kitten wellness visits, we'll discuss when to schedule the procedure, what pre-surgical bloodwork involves, and what to expect during recovery. Our goal is to help you make a confident, informed decision. Learn more about our spay and neuter services.

The critical socialization window for puppies is roughly three to fourteen weeks of age, and for kittens, it's two to seven weeks. During this period, positive exposure to a wide variety of people, animals, surfaces, sounds, and environments helps your pet grow into a confident, well-adjusted adult.

We'll discuss safe socialization strategies during your visits — what exposures are appropriate, how to introduce your puppy to new experiences without overwhelming them, and how to handle common behavioral milestones like mouthing, house training, and litter box habits. For kittens, we'll talk about play behavior, scratching habits, and how to set up a positive environment from day one.

If behavioral concerns come up — fear, aggression, excessive barking, destructive chewing, or litter box avoidance — we're here to help. Early intervention is almost always more effective than waiting, and we can recommend resources or referrals when a situation needs specialized attention.

Weighing your pet at every visit is more than a formality — it's one of the most reliable indicators of overall health. Steady, age-appropriate weight gain tells us nutrition is adequate and there are no underlying metabolic issues. Sudden weight loss, failure to gain, or excessive weight gain all warrant a closer look.

For puppies, growth charts help us estimate expected adult size and identify breed-specific growth patterns. Small breeds reach maturity faster than large breeds, and knowing where your pet falls on that spectrum helps us time vaccine boosters, spay or neuter discussions, and nutrition adjustments appropriately.

We'll also assess body condition — how your pet looks and feels, not just what the scale says. A puppy that's gaining weight steadily but is ribby may need more calories, while one that's gaining too quickly may need portions adjusted. These conversations happen naturally during wellness visits, and we'll give you clear guidance on what to do at home.