3 Important Questions to Ask Your Vet When You First Register Your Cat or Dog

One of, if not the most important, responsibilities as the owner of a new dog or cat who you are bringing into the family fold is to ensure you do everything to make them as healthy and as happy as can be – by registering them with a vet.

So, with this in mind, here are the three most important questions to ask your vet when you first register your cat or dog.

1. Is Your Cat or Dog a Healthy Weight?

Weight plays a hugely influential role in the overall levels of fitness and health in animals, especially dogs and cats, and as such, especially if you have rescued your older animal from an animal shelter, it is essential to find out their weight.

If you take your pet to a veterinary practice like a Graham WA vet clinic, theywill answer any questions you have regarding how to get the weight of your pet down (or up, if they’re underweight) to a healthier number.

Obesity in cats and dogs can lead to the following health conditions, to name just a few:

  • Diabetes
  • Bladder & Urinary Tract Stones
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Hypertension
  • Cancer
  • Heart Disease

2. What Vaccinations Do They Need?

Another pertinent question to ask your vets is whether or not, and indeed, how often, your cat or dog needs to have their vaccinations. In the vast majority of cases, it will be necessary for them to have annual boosters.

For dogs, they usually need a boost for kennel cough and another for leptospirosis each year, and every three years, your dog should usually have a booster for canine hepatitis, one for parvovirus, and another for distemper.

If you are the proud owner of a beautiful cat, then it is likely, although do check with your vet to be sure, that they will recommend they are vaccinated for both calicivirus and herpesvirus. Additionally, it is also likely that your cat will need the panleukopenia virus vaccine and the feline leukemia virus booster vaccination every three years. Still, make sure you check with your qualified professional veterinarian.

3. Grooming Responsibilities

Finally, the third most pertinent question you must remember to ask your vet with regard tothe care of your new dog or cat is whether or not you need to do any ‘maintenance’ when it comes to grooming and nail clipping.

Usually, dogs, providing they get sufficient exercise with at least two good walks each and every day, do not generally need their nails clipped, although taking them to your vet should you feel their claws are too long isalways the best decision to make.

Cats, however, especially if they are indoor cats, may well need to be taken to your veterinary surgery on a regular basis so they can have their claws cut by a professional. Not only that but as cats love to scratch and claw at anything and everything in their line of sight, trimmed claws will certainly save your wooden furniture and couches.