Peace of mind for new pet parents

How often your put will need to go to the vet will depend on their age, breed, and overall health. If you’re adopting a young pet, like a puppy or kitten, they’ll need to go to the vet nearly every three to four weeks at the start for regular examinations as well as their vaccines. Adult cats and dogs, barring any serious medical emergencies, should plan to go to the vet once per year. Senior dogs and cats may need to see the vet more often, something like twice a year to make sure they’re keeping happy and healthy. When it comes to emergency vet visits, there is obviously no correct answer to the amount of times to go to the vet, it’s just paying close attention to your pet’s health and making the best decisions for them.

Pet licensing in the United States varies depending on where you live (city and state can be different). In most places, however, there are pet registration requirements. While there is no national law, not registering your pet can be met with a significant fine. In order to find out if your pet needs to be registered, check your local government websites to see what specific laws apply to you. Spending some money in the short-term to register your pet may save you money and hassle in the long-term. Registering your pet also means they will have a collar with your address and contact details, so if you ever lose each other, there’s certainly a better chance of being reunited again.

While spaying or neutering your pet is a choice left up to a pet’s owner, many vets do recommend spaying/neutering your pet because of the amount of cats and dogs that end up in shelters every year without any form of population control. Spaying and neutering also help to reduce health risks for things like mammary cancer. If you are going to spay/neuter your dog, it’s recommended to do so around six to nine months. If you are going to spay/neuter your cat, it’s recommended to do so around four to six months.

It’s an unfortunate fact that many pets do not go to the vet or receive regular medical care because it is expensive. And when easily preventable things aren’t prevented, they can spiral into more serious (and more costly) conditions. The cost of the vet varies with a few factors: where you live, what procedures you require, even what time of night (if the only vet open is an emergency vet). Cats and smaller dogs tend to be cheaper and larger dogs more expensive. Just consulting with an emergency vet (even if nothing is wrong) can range between $100-$150. Emergency surgery can cost between $800-$2,500. Check out the more exhaustive list of how much the vet costs.

Much like with humans, every pet is different — has different nutritional needs and even different tastes. The most important aspect of your pet’s nutrition is making sure you are feeding them an age-appropriate diet. If your new pet is a senior or a weeks-old puppy or kitten, you should be feeding them food fit for their life cycle. Young pets often require more food than olders one and diets richer in protein. Depending on your pet’s specific health needs, you may also require kidney-specific or weight-loss diets. Talk to a vet online about your pet’s unique attributes and the best pet food suited to their lifestyle.