Hey everyone! Pets are awesome aren't they? Our best friends but also our babies, and we need to know how to take care of our babies, especially during the first month with your pet.
Its been a few days, weeks, or months that you have had them. They are slowly getting accustomed to you and you to them.
However, the care doesn't end here.
Below are some things you should keep in mind in the first few months of bringing your pets home:
Understanding your pet
Photo: @pawsome_twins | Instagram
Now that it has been a while and you have both settled in with each other, it is essential to start solidifying this bond.
Gaining their trust by playing with them, sitting with them during feeding time, training and working out with them are good ways to engage with your pet and earn their trust.
Try and figure out their behavior patterns, sounds they like and react to, which toys are their favorite, what kind of games do they like to play.
I considering this the learning phase where you can study their regular behaviors, the way they walk, their sounds, their cries.
This will help you in the long run. When you have identified their uniqueness, anytime they are sick or their behavior is different, you will know that something is wrong or they could be sick.
Diet
This is a tricky one. Just like food with humans, even with pets, not one-food-fits-all.
Every pet is different, every tummy is unique and every need is special. Try and test out vet recommended diets and keep the food simple.
If the pet already has a diet preference from its previous home or shelter, continue the same diet for the first few months of your pet settling in.
Once they are comfortable and have accepted you and your home as their own, you can begin the transition to a different diet.
Do not rush into too many changes as this can affect their eating cycles.
Within diets, try and test out, different flavors, textures and timing of eating, as per your schedules. That way you will be able to select what is good for your pet and is preferred by them and what are foods they do not prefer to eat.
It is always better not to force feed your pets into eating foods they dont like to prevent throwing up or choking.
Finalizing a vet
An important aspect of having pets is having a dedicated vet who would have their entire medical history and who would be treating them all the time.
If your pet has a vet they are already seeing and the vet is at a convenient location from your home, try and continue the same vet since they would have an idea about your pet and their personality.
However, in situations where this is not possible, try and test out few vets and believe me, your gut will tell you which vet is the right one for your pet.
Having said that, always keep a back-up vet as well who would also have all the updated medical history of your pet so that you always have access to vets.
Also, as I mentioned in my cat adoption checklist do keep your pet registered in a 24/7 emergency pet clinic or hospital as well.
Discussing health history and way forward
Usually when pets are taken from shelter or foster homes, caregivers give you an idea about the pet's past medical history and their behaviors.
It would be good to discuss the same in detail with your vet (especially if it is a new vet)
Also, if you notice any blemishes or marks or any open wounds on your pet, report them immediately to your vet.
Vaccinations
On your initial visit to the vet, ask detailed questions about vaccinations.
Which vaccinations does your pet need?
When should they be administered?
What are the side effects?
What are the government mandated vaccinations?
How often do they need to be administered?
How do you prepare your pet for these vaccines?
Microchipping and registration
Depending on which part of the world you stay in, microchipping and registration processes may vary.
Microchipping is basically inserting a small chip in the neck of your pet which can be scanned by any vet and would provide all the details of the owner.
While pet collars are useful for providing owner information, pet collars can snap or break if the pet is lost.
It is similar to giving a vaccination and usually does not have any side effects on the health of your pet.
Registration of pets usually involve, registering them in the pet database of the country, or your state or municipality.
That way if the pet is picked up by any municipality official, they will know that it is a lost pet and not a stray or feral cat.
These registrations are also required to apply for pet insurance or for pet passports and if you want to move your pets between states or countries.
Neutering and spaying
Neutering is a common surgical procedure which testicles are removed in order to sterilize a male dog or cat, therefore stopping its ability to reproduce.
Spaying is a surgical procedure where the ovaries, fallopian tube and uterus of a female cat are removed to prevent them from reproduction.
Overpopulation is a huge concern with domesticated animals where pets give birth to litters who are then left on the streets to die or turned over to shelters.
A lot of people also abandon their pets when they get pregnant, leading to unnecessary stray animals on the road.
In addition to preventing the above, spaying/neutering has health benefits as well. Spaying prevents uterine infections and decreases the incidence of breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats.
Neutering reduces aggressive behavior or constantly wanting to run out of the house to mate or pick up violent fights with other animals. It also reduces the chances of testicular cancer.
Speak to your vet about the ideal age of getting your pet spayed/neutered and how to prepare for the procedure at home.
Pet insurance
Pets need healthcare as good as humans do and any healthcare is expensive.
However, this can be tackled by considering applying for insurance. Insurance packages usually include the most common treatments in pets.
It is ideal to wait a few months after you get your pet and then apply for insurance as this will help you understand what kind of medical help does your pet require most often (for example, they may have a weak stomach, or be born with joint abnormalities or be more prone to allergies) and accordingly choose the right plan available for them.
Insurance companies also take a month or more to complete the insurance process so it is always better to start this process as soon as possible.
Keeping an eye on their health
Another thing you need to constantly monitor is their health. Read as much as possible about pet behaviors and avoid hearsays and old-maid tales.
This may sound weird but pay attention to their excretions, poo-poo and pee-pee are great indicators of internal health and any discrepancies in them can mean it is time to visit the pet.
The first few months, stay extra cautious and do not shy away from calling your vet and asking questions.
With both of you adjusting to each other and the added change of your pet's surrounding, it is natural for them to experience stress and discomfort and the sooner you address it the better.
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