The first 16 weeks decide a lot
Most of the kittens and puppies we lose in Rangpur are lost to things that were preventable in the first few months: panleukopenia and parvovirus, heavy worm burdens, dehydration from diarrhoea, and hypothermia in cold winter nights. A good start takes a few short visits and costs far less than treating any of these.
What we check at the first visit
- Weight and hydration — tiny kittens and puppies dehydrate fast
- Eyes and nose — sticky eyes and sneezing often mean cat flu
- Ears — dark, crumbly wax usually means ear mites, easy to treat
- Mouth and palate — cleft palate and teeth
- Belly and umbilicus — hernias and worm-swollen bellies
- Coat — fleas, flea dirt and ringworm patches
- Heart — murmurs we should keep an eye on
A simple timeline
| Age | Kitten | Puppy |
|---|---|---|
| 2–3 weeks | Deworming can begin (vet-guided dose) | Deworming begins |
| 6–8 weeks | First health check | First vaccine (DHPPi) |
| 8–9 weeks | First “flu” vaccine (PureVax) | — |
| 10–12 weeks | Second “flu” vaccine, rabies from ~12 weeks | Second vaccine (+L), rabies from 12 weeks |
| 14–16 weeks | Third dose if advised | Third vaccine |
| 5–6 months | Spay/neuter planning | Spay/neuter planning |
Get dates tailored to your pet with the vaccination schedule and deworming schedule tools.
Feeding a growing pet
Kittens and puppies need two to three times the calories per kilogram of an adult, split into three or four small meals. Our pet food calculator works out grams per day from your pet’s age, weight and the calories printed on the food packet.
Rescued from the street?
Thank you. Keep the kitten warm and dry, offer a little kitten food or kitten milk replacer (not cow’s milk), keep it apart from other pets, and bring it in. Read our new kitten checklist for everything to buy and do in week one.