The first vet visit is often easier when you bring a few key things with you. New owners are often not sure what will actually be useful at that first appointment, especially if they have paperwork from a breeder or rescue but are not certain what matters most.
You do not need to arrive with everything perfectly organised. But the more helpful information you can bring, the easier it is to build a clear plan for your new puppy or kitten.
Any paperwork relating to your pet’s early history is worth bringing. That may include breeder or rescue information, a vaccination card, parasite treatment history, feeding details, microchip details, or any previous veterinary notes you have been given.
If the history is incomplete, that is still fine. Even partial information can help with deciding what the next steps should be.
It is useful to know what food your pet is currently eating, what flea or worm products have already been used, whether there have been any vomiting, diarrhoea, sneezing, scratching, or toilet-training concerns, and what questions you already have.
Owners often remember these things more clearly at home than in the consult room, so writing them down beforehand can help.
For puppies, it is especially useful to know any vaccine dates already given, worming history, diet, sleeping pattern, toileting progress, and any concerns about biting, behaviour, settling in, or socialisation.
The first visit is often where early puppy questions start to come together into a clearer plan.
For kittens, it helps to know what food is being fed, any flea or worm treatment already given, litter habits, vaccination history if known, and whether there are any concerns about scratching, settling in, introducing other pets, or general behaviour.
These details often help shape the early preventive and developmental advice we give.
For kittens, a secure carrier is important. A towel or blanket over the carrier can help reduce visual stress during travel. For puppies, bringing them in a secure, manageable way that keeps them safe and calm matters just as much.
If your pet is likely to be especially anxious, unsettled, or hard to transport, letting us know in advance can also help.
The first visit is not only about what we need from you. It is also about what you need from the visit. If you have questions about feeding, vaccinations, parasite control, behaviour, socialisation, desexing, microchipping, or what happens next, bringing those questions with you is useful.
That helps make sure the visit answers what actually matters to you, rather than only what happens to come up in the room.
Return to the main page for puppy and kitten health foundations, first visits and early planning.
Useful when you are planning the first visit, vaccine timing and early parasite protection for a puppy.
Useful when you are planning early kitten checks, vaccine timing, parasite protection and settling support.
Learn what we usually check and discuss when a puppy, kitten or newly adopted pet first comes in.
If you are preparing for your puppy or kitten’s first appointment and are not sure what to bring or what to expect, we are happy to help.
Useful if you are preparing for your first appointment with us.
Previous vaccine records help us decide what protection is due next.
Helpful if you want to understand payment options before the first visit.
