No matter if your new puppy is a teacup Chihuahua or a Great Dane, they will need to have a few check ups to ensure that they are properly vaccinated, protected from parasites, and ready for a long and happy life with their new family. We can assist you by explaining the proper vaccinations for puppies, the appropriate time to spay or neuter, and the benefits of microchipping.
Vaccinations: Puppies, like children, need regular shots to help bring them bring their immune systems up to speed, and prevent serious or even fatal diseases. Puppies should be vaccinated in a series of three visits.
At these visits, we will also give your puppy a physical examination, weigh them to track their growth, offer behavioral advice, and administer appropriate parasite testing.
Bringing a new kitten to your home is an exciting time for the whole family. It can be easy to be caught up in the excitement, but at Shawnee Animal Hospital, we ask you to remember that kittens are very small, fragile, and sensitive animals.
If you have other cats, we recommend keeping your kitten in a spare room with a second litter box and not introducing the cats at first. This will give your kitten time to adjust, and your first cat time to realize they are sharing their living space. This is also in the best interest of their health. We suggest that before the kitten is introduced to other cats, they are tested for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus.
Vaccinations: Your veterinarian can help you decide which vaccinations are appropriate for your kitten based on their age, breed, health status, and lifestyle. Cats who spend time outside or are frequently around other cats may need a few more shots than an indoor kitty.
Kittens should be brought in for shots in a series of three visits.
For companion animals, we recommend spay/neuter surgery mainly because of its proven health benefits. Neutered animals are also easier to care for, because sexually-driven behavioral traits are curbed, especially when the surgery is performed within the first year of life
In addition to these reasons, if you do not plan on breeding your pet, having an unwanted litter can be expensive, stressful, and time-consuming. The cost of the spay/neuter procedure may well save you money in the long run, because it is less than the cost of providing for several baby animals and a pregnant mother!
Neutering pets is also crucial to countering the national pet homelessness crisis, which refers to the hundreds of thousands of unwanted pets who are placed in shelters or euthanized every year.
Benefits of Spaying: Spaying is the removal of the ovaries and uterus of a female animal. Spaying prevents the female from having heat periods. This means, that in many cases you will be spared the unwanted behavioral side effects of a heat period, such as frequent urination and vocalization. Spayed females have a diminished risk of contracting cancers of the reproductive system. Their life expectancies increase because of this, and also because the physical stressor of pregnancy is alleviated.
Benefits of Neutering: Neutering is the removal of the testes of a male animal. Once a male animal is neutered, their desire to roam in search of a mate will be reduced, resulting in less escapes or disappearances. They tend to display less aggressive tendencies, and are often easier to train. Their chances of contracting cancers of the reproductive system, such as testicular or prostate cancer, also are reduced.
Every year, thousands of lost pets are brought to animal shelters or veterinary offices. Upon arrival, the first thing that the pet care professionals will do is check to see if the animal has a microchip containing their owner’s contact information. Would your pet be able to get home safely?
Many pet owners have tags for their pets to wear on a collar, but this method is not foolproof. Too often, pets slip their collars when frightened and running away, or escape at a time they are not wearing their tags, such as after a bath.
A microchip is the only form of protection that will be with your pet 24/7, because it is inserted underneath the skin, typically between the shoulder blades. The insertion process only takes a few moments, and does not hurt the patient any more than a routine vaccination. Some pets do not even notice being implanted with the microchip!
After your pet has a microchip, we will help you to fill out forms to send in so your contact information is associated with the chip in a national database. If your pet ever becomes lost, a veterinarian or animal shelter employee will use a special scanner to read the information. You will be contacted, and your pet will be able to end their adventure with a happy reunion.
Of course, once your pet is microchipped, we encourage you to continue your routine of having them wear their tags. The more forms of identification your pet has, the better their chances of being brought home!
Located off of Oklahoma 3W on the corner of N Kickapoo St and W Independence St.
Phone: 405-275-0990
