Puppy and Kitten Care in Locust Grove, GA

Congratulations on bringing home your furry bundle of joy! Puppies and kittens are a delight to care for, and seeing them grow up happy and healthy is extremely fulfilling. As your veterinarian, The Grove Animal Hospital recommends seeing your new pet for a series of four exams, 3-4 weeks apart, to give them the best start in their life with you! We will also work with you to make sure your puppy or kitten is growing and developing as they should, with strong immunity against viral diseases and a balanced, nutritious diet appropriate for their age group.

Schedule an appointment with The Grove Animal Hospital for your puppy or kitten today!

Why We Recommend a Series of Puppy/Kitten Exams

Your new puppy or kitten needs to see us for a series of exams so we can establish their care and help you build an ongoing plan for their future health. Additionally, visiting the vet is a prime opportunity to introduce your pet to new sights, sounds, and experiences. Follow-up exams allow us to monitor your pet’s growth and progress, and make sure they are free of any parasites or other diseases.

What To Expect At Your Pet's First Exams

First Appointment

The first exam appointment can happen as early as 6-8 weeks old for your pet, but this varies, since pets get adopted at a wide range of ages. If your pet is under a year old, this first appointment will still count as their “first” exam. We ask that you bring in a fresh stool sample to your first appointment, so we can perform fecal testing to check for intestinal parasites. We can also get your pet started on appropriate parasite prevention and administer necessary vaccinations.

Puppy Vaccines
Kitten Vaccines

Follow Up Appointments

As your pet grows, we will schedule follow up appointments every 3-4 weeks to continue to track their health and administer vaccinations based on your puppy or kitten’s age. There are vaccines we recommend as core vaccines for all pets, and non-core vaccines based on each pet’s lifestyle. The following vaccinations will be administered or boosted during future appointments:

Core Vaccinations
Non-Core Vaccinations

Why We Spay and Neuter

It’s important to schedule your pet’s spay or neuter surgery date at the right time. Their breed, size, age, and lifestyle all play a role in deciding the best timeline for spaying and neutering. We need to make sure your pet finishes growing, but we also want to minimize their risk for reproductive cancers and other diseases.

black puppy being held by the veterinarian

Tips for Potty Training Your Puppy

How do I schedule my pet’s potty training?
How to crate train your puppy
When’s the best time to reinforce good behaviors?

How to Stop Your Puppy from Engaging in Bad Behaviors

Is it OK for my puppy to chew? What should they chew on?
Is there a way to stop my puppy from barking?
My puppy is begging at the table – how do I stop them?

What human foods are harmful to puppies?

How often does my puppy need to be fed?
What should I be feeding my puppy?
What human foods are harmful to puppies?

Preparing for a New Kitten

What items should I get for my kitten?
Is there anything I should remove for my kitten’s safety?
Items to keep your kitten comfortable

Tips on Playing with Your Kitten

How to play safely
Why is it important to play with my kitten?
How frequently should I play with my kitten?

How Should I Feed My Kitten?

How often your kitten needs to be fed
What kind of food should I give my kitten?
Which foods are most harmful to kittens?