Caring for a new kitten or puppy is a big responsibility. It entails more than just setting out bowls of food and water. Conscientious pet owners understand the importance of creating wellness plans for their pets. So does the veterinary staff at Churchland Animal Clinic in Portsmouth. Unlike many veterinary hospitals that focus solely on emergency treatments, our animal hospital places equal emphasis on preventative care. We want your puppies and kittens to grow into happy, healthy adults. It's why we offer wellness plans for both puppies and kittens. And it's why every veterinarian on our staff is equally committed to the long-term health of your pets.

We invite pet owners from the Chesapeake, Hampton Roads, Tidewater, and Suffolk areas to visit our animal vet clinic to determine if our puppy and kitten wellness plans are for them.

Four Wellness Strategies for Pets

The veterinarians at our animal hospital recommend four top wellness strategies to keep your puppies and kittens healthy. These strategies form the basis of our kitten and puppy wellness plans.

Proper care starts with core vaccinations. As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to make sure your dog or cat receives the vaccinations it needs to fend off disease and live a happy life. Secondly, it's vitally important for pet owners to have their dogs or cats spayed or neutered. This not only protects their own animals, it prevents the population of cats and dogs from growing too quickly.

We also recommend pet owners have their puppies or kittens implanted with microchip identification. These chips significantly boost the odds that you will find your puppy or kitten quickly if it should become lost. The microchips are a key health factor: Puppies and kittens are not adept at living on their own. They can quickly become injured or sick if they remain lost from their families.

Finally, every veterinarian at our Portsmouth animal clinic recommends that you feed your puppy and kitten a healthy diet — no table scraps, please — and regularly check its teeth.

What measures do you think pet owners need to take to guarantee their pets are healthy for both the short-term and the long-term?