Prior to adoption, your dog was seen by our veterinarian and up-to-date on all vaccines. However, now that you are the dog’s owner, you will need to get your new dog registered with your veterinarian to schedule a wellness exam and establish a standard of care.
Medical Records
Your dog’s medical records are in the grey envelope you received at the time of the adoption. Bring this folder to your first vet appointment.
Bring a Stool Sample
You’ll want to bring a stool sample to have a fecal test done. We treat all of our pups with dewormer, but intestinal parasites are common and often require multiple rounds of treatment.
Heartworm Testing
If the dog you adopted was heartworm tested while with us, you’ll want to test for heartworm again in 6 months. It’s rare, but a dog can test negative if it’s recently contracted heartworm, so most veterinarians recommend retesting after 6 months. If you adopted a dog 7 months old or younger that was not heartworm tested yet, your vet will likely recommend you do so now. Note that heartworm testing starts after 6 months.
Pups under 16 weeks
Be extra careful about where your pup walks if they have not received their final vaccines. If you’re adopting a puppy younger than 16 weeks, you’ll definitely need to wait until your vet says you’re good to go. For puppies that have not yet had their final round of vaccines, please avoid letting them walk around on the ground in areas that are highly trafficked by other dogs, such as parks, dog runs, and pet stores. Puppy play dates are okay as long as the other dog is up to date on vaccines and in good health.