When you’re preparing to bring home a puppy, be sure to include finding a veterinarian in your plans. Puppies may act like they’re up for anything, but because of their immature immune systems, they’re quite susceptible to illness and injury.
It’s vital to schedule your puppy’s first visit to a veterinarian within the first few days of bringing them home. Healthy puppies need to get started with a preventive care routine and sick puppies need treatment before their condition becomes serious or even life-threatening.
If you’re the proud pet parent of a new puppy, here’s what you should know about taking your puppy to their first vet visit.
In This Guide:
When To Take a Puppy To the Vet
Many dog shelters and breeders start vet visits for puppies before they release their little ones to new pet parents. When you pick up your puppy, you should receive paperwork that clearly states what type of care has already been provided and when. You’ll need to have these details handy when you schedule your puppy’s next veterinary visit.
Regardless of the care your puppy receives before you welcome them into your home, it’s a good idea to schedule a new puppy vet visit as soon as possible.
Antje Joslin, DVM, a Phoenix-based veterinarian and consultant at Dogtopia, recommends scheduling the first vet appointment for your puppy within two days of bringing them home.
“This initial checkup allows the vet to assess your puppy’s overall health,” she says, “and it’s also a time to review your puppy’s previous vaccines and establish a health care plan.”
Along with a complete physical exam, the vet may recommend some routine laboratory tests at your new puppy checkup. Be sure to share your puppy’s health records along with any potential signs of illness or injury you may have noticed, such as:
- Low appetite
- Lethargy
- Change in behavior
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Abnormal gait (walking pattern) or limping
- Coughing or sneezing
- Eye discharge
- Poor coat condition
- Skin problems
In addition to starting any treatment your puppy may require, your veterinarian will create a vaccine schedule based on your puppy’s particular history and needs.
Puppies typically start receiving vaccinations between 6 and 8 weeks of age. They’ll need booster shots every 3 to 4 weeks until they’re 4 or 5 months old, then annually once they reach 12 months of age. If your new puppy is already over 4 months old, they may only need two sets of booster shots scheduled 3 to 4 weeks apart.
How To Prepare for Your Puppy's First Veterinarian Visit
Collect as much information as possible in the days before your puppy’s first vet visit. Has your puppy traveled from a different part of the country or world? Are you starting to notice behavioral problems as your pup settles in? Does your puppy have a good appetite? Any vomiting or diarrhea? Is potty training proceeding as you expected?
While it is, of course, fine to answer a question with “I don’t know” (you can always call back with the answer), the more information you can provide during this first trip to the veterinarian with your puppy the better.
Checklist of What To Bring
Knowing when to take a new puppy to the vet is important, but if you want to get as much out of that first visit as possible, come prepared. Here’s a checklist for your puppy’s first vet visit:
- Any veterinary records you received from the breeder or shelter
- Written list of important questions or concerns that you might have
- Notes on how much of what types of puppy food and treats you offer at home
- Dog carrier or crate lined with some old towels or shirts that smell like home, for travel to and from the vet office
- Leash and collar or harness
- Chew toy for distraction
- Small treats to reward good behavior
- Any forms provided by your veterinarian that you have already filled out
- A stool sample, as fresh as possible, enough to cover the size of a quarter
Err on the side of caution during this first visit. You don’t know yet what kind of response to expect from your puppy at the vet. New sights, sounds, and smells can be frightening, so make a plan to keep your puppy safely restrained. A crate is ideal for small puppies but, at the very least, keep them under control with a leash and collar or harness.
Questions To Ask the Vet About Your New Puppy
Whether you’re a first-time puppy parent or a seasoned dog owner, bringing home a new puppy can be overwhelming. Dr. Joslin recommends taking some time to mentally prepare for the appointment so you can be an active participant by absorbing the vet’s advice and asking questions.
If you’re worried you’ll forget your questions as soon as you step into the exam room, don’t be afraid to bring a list!
Consider asking these questions during your puppy’s first visit to the veterinarian:
- How often should my puppy go to the vet?
- Is my puppy at risk for any breed-related health issues? What signs should I look for?
- Should my puppy be spayed or neutered? At what age?
- What toys or treats are unsafe for my puppy?
- What puppy teething toys do you recommend?
- When is it safe for my puppy to be around other dogs?
- What symptoms suggest my puppy needs emergency veterinary care?
- How much and how often should I feed my puppy?
- What are the signs my puppy is growing too slowly or too quickly?
- Is flea and tick prevention necessary? What kind do you recommend?
- How much exercise does my puppy need?
- At what age should I switch from puppy food to adult dog food?
What To Expect at Your Puppy’s First Vet Visit
When you take your puppy to the vet for the first time, you’ll be asked to answer some questions about your puppy’s history and how they’re adjusting to their new home.
“Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical exam,” says Dr. Joslin, including:
- A weight check
- Measuring body temperature and pulse and respiratory rates
- Observing the puppy move around the exam room
- Looking at the whole body including the eyes, ears, nose, feet, nails, skin, coat, and genitalia
- Opening the mouth to observe the teeth, gums, and other structures
- Checking the eyes and ears with instruments that provide light and magnification
- Palpating (using hands to feel) the lymph nodes, organs within the abdomen, and joints
- Using a stethoscope to listen to the heart and lungs
- Checking reflexes
- Scanning for a microchip
If you didn’t bring a stool sample with you from home, your veterinarian may need to collect one to check for intestinal parasites. If your puppy is 6 months old or older, the doctor or veterinary technician may also draw a small sample of blood for heartworm testing. Other lab work is run on an as-needed basis.
In addition to assessing your puppy’s physical health, your veterinarian may talk to you about important aspects of dog care during your first visit including:
- Exercise and play requirements
- Behavior and socialization
- Pet identification, including microchips and tags
- Reproductive health, including the benefits and risks of spaying and neutering
- Dental care
- Grooming needs
- Travel requirements
- Pet safety and disaster preparedness
- Nutrition
- Flea, tick, heartworm, and internal parasite control
- Vaccination schedules
- Diseases that can be spread from pets to people (and vice versa)
The Cost of a Puppy’s First Vet Visit
How much does a puppy’s first vet visit with shots cost? Veterinary costs vary based on the veterinary practice and where you live, but be prepared for something in the range of $100 to $350 for a puppy’s first visit to the veterinarian. Call your veterinarian for a more precise estimate so there are no unpleasant surprises.
Most of what happens during a puppy’s first vet visit is routine and may even be included in the fee. In some cases, however, veterinary clinic may bill for each separate service.
Here’s a breakdown of what a puppy’s first vet visit might cost:
- Examination/consultation: $60–$85
- Initial vaccines: $75–$150
- Fecal testing: $25–$50
- Deworming plus single dose of internal/external parasite protection: $40–$60
- Microchipping: $25–$50
- Heartworm test (if your puppy is 6 months of age or older) $40–$50
Veterinary wellness plans, vaccine clinics, and pet insurance can all help you keep your costs down or spread them out over time.
While vet costs for puppies may seem high, it’s money well spent preventing potentially serious and expensive health problems from developing later. After all, to be happy, a dog must be healthy.
FAQs About Your Puppy’s First Visit to The Veterinarian
Q:How often should a puppy go to the vet?
A:“Puppies generally require more frequent visits early on in life,” says Dr. Joslin. After your puppy’s first visit to the veterinarian, they’ll need booster shots every three to four weeks until they’re 4 or 5 months old. From there, annual checkups are recommended.
Q:When should I take my puppy to the vet after bringing them home?
A:As soon as possible. Experts recommend scheduling the first vet appointment for a puppy within a few days of bringing them home.
Q:How old are puppies when they first go to the vet?
A:It depends. Many dog shelters and breeders start vet visits shortly after a litter of puppies is born. In other cases, a puppy’s first vet visit might not happen until after adoption, which is generally between 8 and 12 weeks of age.
Q:Do puppies get dewormed at the first vet visit?
A:Yes. It’s the standard of care for puppies to be treated with a broad-spectrum deworming medication every two weeks starting at 2 to 3 weeks of age. This not only helps rid your pup of intestinal worms but protects you and your family from them too, as some types of worms are contagious to people.
Kate Barrington contributed to this content.
This content was medically reviewed by Molly Price, DVM, Chewy veterinarian.
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