PUPPIES and KITTENS

Some of the following links will take you out of Mission Viejo's website. Use your browser's back button to return.  Some informative links access the Pet Health Care Library at VeterinaryPartner.com Your new puppy or kitten will need some time to adjust to their new home.  It's best to see how they do in their new home before bringing them in for their first wellness examination.  It is important to have them checked by your veterinarian during the first week so we can address common concerns. The first thing to start training your new puppy on is housebreaking.  It is usually best to train them to go outside, and starting young is best.  Remember that a puppy will need to urinate or defecate frequently, so taking them out every one to two hours is important.  They usually need to go after waking from a nap, during play and about an hour after eating.  The more often you go outside with your puppy, the more often you can praise her for going in the right spot.  You can also train them to a trigger word at the same time, like "go poddy" or "do your business".  Never punish a puppy unless you catch them in the act of going in the wrong spot.  These housebreaking questions and answers might help with your new puppy.

Puppies explore thier world with their mouths, so chewing is a natural instinct.  However, your puppy needs to be taught to only chew on his toys, not shoes, furniture or hands.  A simple "no" will do, then take away what he shouldn't have, and give him what he should.

External parasites are also common.  Ear Mites can affect kittens most commonly, but puppies may also get them. Demodex is a skin mite that causes hairloss in puppies.

A new kitten can be such a joy to have around.  Kittens are generally easy to train to a litter box and quickly learn where
their food and water lives.  Kittens are not likely to chew on
things, but some kittens will eat items they are not supposed
to.  It is helpful to kitten proof your house by securing small objects. You'll want to keep a close eye on your new kitten so she doesn't get into trouble. Your kitten will also want to scratch, so it's best to provide a scratching post.  To help deter scratching on the furniture, use a squirt bottle with clean water and spray him with water when he scratches something he shouldn't.

Should you have your kitten declawed?  The procedure has been performed on many cats in the United States, but it is becoming more and more controversial.  A declaw procedure involves removal of the last bone of the front toes where the claw is attached.  It is a relatively invasive procedure so many owners elect not to have their kitten declawed.  If you think you may have to declaw your cat, it is best to do it when they are a kitten, as they recover more quickly. Once they recover typically there are no post-operative problems.  Please contact your kitten's doctor about this procedure if you have more questions, or visit this link on declawing and it's alternatives.

The doctors at Mission Viejo Veterinary Hospital recommend having your new pet spayed or neutered.  This is a surgery performed on your new pet around six months of age.  Spaying and neutering helps prevent unwanted behaviors, and is healthier for your pet.  For more information, visit these links about feline spaying, canine spaying and canine neutering.