Your first puppy vet visit can be difficult to navigate, especially if you’re a brand new, first time pet owner! As a dog-tor, I can vouch for the fact that you’re not alone: many new puppy parents wonder how soon to take their puppy to the vet; how much to budget for their pup’s first vet visit; and what vaccinations their new furbaby will need (and when!)
These important and potentially confusing questions plague new puppy owners, and - in addition to wondering why on earth puppy breath smells so darn good - keep many fledgeling pet parents awake at night!
This article aims to answer all of the above and to ensure no dog moms and dads are left in the dark. From vaccine schedules to key questions you need to ask your vet, we’ve got you covered.
One of the most common questions that new puppy owners call the practice to ask is when to take a puppy to the vet after bringing him or her home.
So, when should you take your new puppy to the vet?
You may have read online that you need to take your puppy the first day, or perhaps not until you’re worried (you wouldn’t be the first owner to call us in the middle of the night because you noticed your pup’s nose isn’t wet!)
The fact is - much like the question of whether or not to let your dog sleep in your bed - there’s not really a one size fits all answer. When to schedule your first puppy vet visit depends on a number of factors. You’ll need to take the following into account.
If you’re adopting a new puppy a little later in life, for example, at the eight month mark rather than the eight week mark, then there’s less pressure to get them into the vet quickly (in most instances). This is because they’ve likely already had their vaccinations, and are less susceptible to becoming rapidly or severely unwell from parasites (fleas, mites, lice or worms).
Of course, you’ll still want to take an older puppy to the vet within a couple of months of bringing them home, in order to stay up to date with parasite prevention and to keep an eye on their weight as they grow. But, generally speaking, older puppies can wait longer before you need to schedule your first vet visit.
We’ll discuss puppy vaccination schedules in a more detail under the next heading, but the key point here is that when you adopt a new puppy, you need to make sure you know when their next shots are due. A few days' time? A week? Two? Make sure you’re clear on this, and mark it on your calendar! You can also give your preferred veterinary practice a call and get your pup registered and book the appointment in advance. This helps ensure they have the required date, and your preferred time, available.
If your new pup hasn’t started their vaccinations yet, you’ll want to schedule their first vet visit after a few days, in order to get them protected sooner rather than later.
Sometimes, new puppy owners bring their furbaby to me for vaccination the same day as they bring them home, or just a day or two later…and the truth is that I always wish these well-meaning owners had waited a few more days!
Let me explain:
Arriving at a new home is exciting but also stressful for puppies, mentally and physically. They suddenly need to adjust to a life with new human parents, separate from their mom and littermates. They are encountering a new environment with new sights, sounds, smells and on a microscopic level, new microbes. And they suddenly have so much to learn, starting with their own name!
Often their diet is changing (although - side note - it’s ideal to make any changes gradually), and nine times out of ten, all the attention and hours spent playing with the new owner means new puppies will sleep less in their first couple of days after you bring them home. And anyone familiar with the misery of long haul flights in economy class can attest to the fact that sleep deprivation is an absolute nightmare for the immune system!
For these reasons, your puppy is vulnerable within the first few days after you bring them home, and honestly it’s ideal to give them a bit of time to adjust and settle in before you throw the added excitement and stress of their first vet visit into the mix. So, when considering when to take your new puppy to the vet, be sure to take into account whether you’re at liberty to wait a few days. So long as your pup doesn’t have shots imminently due, this is definitely recommended.
Puppies in the United States should receive shots to protect them against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, leptospirosis (lepto) and rabies. The kennel cough (Bordetella) vaccine is also recommended for most puppies; basically, if your pup is going to have contact with other dogs (for example, at the dog park), or will frequent places with high “doggy foot traffic” (including most sidewalks!) then the kennel cough vaccine is a good idea.
Other vaccinations (such as the Lyme disease vaccine) may be recommended by your vet depending on where you live, and the lifestyle you expect your puppy to lead. Adventurous canines spending time in the great outdoors or around farmland will need more comprehensive protection than wallflowers!
Typically, protection from distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus (+/- parainfluenza) is provided by a single, combined vaccine product (called ‘DHP’ or ‘DHPP’ depending on whether or not parainfluenza is included), with leptospirosis and rabies shots being given separately. The kennel cough vaccination may be given orally, nasally or by injection. Combined products help minimize the number of needles we vets need to stick into your gorgeous new furbaby, and so help minimize emotional trauma to both you and your pup!
Your puppy can start some of their shots as early as six weeks, but in most cases I recommend waiting until eight weeks to allow more time for the antibodies your pup received from their mom to subside as these can interfere with the vaccine’s ability to do its job effectively.
Here’s a concise schedule of the vaccinations your puppy is going to need:
How much should you expect your first vet visit to cost? And - perhaps a more practical question, since vaccinations are a truly crucial part of your new puppy’s healthcare - how much is a puppy's first vet visit with shots?
The cost of a puppy’s first vet visit including vaccinations will vary widely depending on where you live, the types of shots given (and whether or not you opt for any ‘extras’ such as Lyme disease shots), and any additional tests or treatments recommended by your vet during the consultation. It’s also just a fact that some vets charge more than others!
So, whilst it’s pretty much impossible for me to provide you with a super accurate figure, on average the first vet visit for a puppy including the first round of shots is likely to range from $60 to $160. Note that I said “first round of shots” - unless you’ve found an exceptionally cheap practice, there’s likely to be additional costs at the next visit!
One of the best pieces of impartial advice I can give you is to ask about package deals and wellness plans that may be offered by your chosen veterinary practice, or wellness cover/add-ons that may be available through your insurance. Such plans basically always result in a bunch of savings, often more than $100 worth in total.
Many owners wonder what to ask the vet on their first puppy visit…so, you’re not alone! The truth is that a really good vet will make sure all the key points that you need to cover are discussed in the consult whether or not you remember to bring them up, but - just in case - it helps to have a checklist.
You’ll want to cover the following points:
If time (and vaccine schedule) allows, it’s best to wait a few days after bringing your new puppy home before scheduling your first vet visit. This gives your new furbaby time to adjust to their new environment, and ensures their immune system is fighting fit.
I’d also recommend that you schedule your puppy’s vet visit for early in the day, or right after lunch, to reduce wait times and stress. And please, be sure to bring your pup’s health records with you; it makes our lives - and yours - so much easier!
