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.
When Should I Take My New Puppy to the Vet?
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.
How old your new pup is when you bring them home?
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.
How far along in their vaccination schedule is your new pup?
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.
Whether you’re able to wait a few days (ideally!)
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.
Puppy First Vet Visit: Vaccination Schedule
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:
6-8 weeks (but ideally 8, in most cases):
- DHPP
- Lepto
- Kennel cough recommended for most pups
10-12 weeks (4 weeks after the first visit):
- DHPP
- Lepto
- +/- Lyme disease
12-18 weeks:
- Rabies (exact timing determined by your local laws and risk level)
- DHP booster recommended at 16 weeks for puppies who started their shots at 6 weeks of age rather than 8
12 months:
- Your puppy will need to visit the vet for their first annual boosters to ensure their protection remains up to date
