New Pet Checkups, Vaccines, and Deworming: A Beginner-Friendly Timeline
New pet owners usually get stuck on three questions: when to book the first vet visit, when vaccines are due, and how often parasite control is needed.
New pet owners usually get stuck on three questions: when to book the first vet visit, when vaccines are due, and how often parasite control is needed.
This guide is for cats and dogs. Rabbits, birds, reptiles, fish, and small mammals need different care plans.
One simple rule helps: use the timeline, but do not follow it blindly. Age, records, local law, lifestyle, and your veterinarian's advice all matter.
The Quick Timeline#
If your pet is weak, vomiting, coughing, sneezing heavily, not eating, having diarrhea, losing weight, or breathing strangely, see a veterinarian first. Do not force a vaccine visit before the pet is stable.
| Time | Checkup | Vaccines | Parasite Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before pickup | Ask for vaccine, deworming, microchip, neuter, and medical records | Get written or digital proof | Ask for product names, dates, and body weights |
| First 3-7 days at home | Book a full veterinary exam. Go sooner for rescues, strays, very young pets, or sick pets | Let the veterinarian review records before giving more shots | Bring a fresh stool sample if you can |
| From 2 weeks of age | Usually handled by the breeder, shelter, rescue, or veterinarian | Too young for the usual core vaccine series | Puppies and kittens can start anthelmintic treatment at 2 weeks of age and repeat every 2 weeks until regular broad-spectrum parasite control begins1 |
| 6-8 weeks | Check weight, stool, skin, ears, and general health | Start core puppy or kitten vaccines. Repeat every 2-4 weeks, with the last dose at 16 weeks of age or older2 | Continue age- and weight-based parasite control |
| 9-12 weeks | Recheck before each vaccine | Continue core vaccines. Discuss risk-based vaccines | Start or continue internal and external parasite prevention |
| Around 12 weeks, or when local law allows | Review legal needs | Rabies vaccine timing depends on local law, product label, and veterinarian advice | Discuss fleas, ticks, mites, and heartworm risk |
| 14-16 weeks | Confirm growth and health | The final puppy or kitten core vaccine dose is usually given at 16 weeks or older2 | Keep parasite control going |
| Around 6-7 months | Growth check, teeth check, weight review, behavior review, and spay/neuter discussion | WSAVA 2024 advises a core vaccine booster at or after 26 weeks of age. Some regions use a booster around 1 year after the initial series. Follow your veterinarian and product label2 | Most pets now move into an adult prevention plan |
| Adult life | At least yearly wellness exams. Seniors and pets with health issues need more | Core vaccines should not be given more often than needed. Rabies follows local law. Risk-based vaccines may be yearly | Continue parasite prevention or regular fecal testing based on risk |
What Happens at the First Vet Visit#
The first visit is not just a vaccine appointment. It starts your pet's medical record.
Bring:
- Vaccine, deworming, microchip, adoption, or purchase records.
- A fresh stool sample from the last 24 hours.
- Food name, feeding amount, treats, and supplements.
- Any medicines, drops, sprays, or skin products.
- Notes on appetite, water intake, urination, stool, energy, coughing, vomiting, itching, or sneezing.
The exam may include:
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Weight and body condition | Helps check growth and calculate medication doses |
| Eyes, ears, nose, and mouth | Looks for infection, mites, dental issues, or developmental problems |
| Skin and coat | Checks for fleas, ticks, wounds, ringworm, and dermatitis |
| Heart and lung exam | Screens for murmurs, respiratory signs, or infection clues |
| Belly palpation | Looks for pain, bloating, constipation, or developmental concerns |
| Fecal testing | Many intestinal parasites are not visible in stool |
| FeLV/FIV testing in cats | Especially important for newly acquired cats, cats from unknown backgrounds, and multi-cat homes. AAFP recommends testing at-risk cats as soon as possible after acquisition and before FeLV or FIV vaccination3 |
| Heartworm and vector-borne disease assessment in dogs | Timing depends on age, location, travel, mosquito exposure, and tick exposure |
AAHA canine life stage guidance highlights frequent parasite attention in puppies, and the AAHA/AAFP feline life stage guidelines include physical exams, parasite control, vaccination, and age-based diagnostics as part of routine care.45
How Vaccines Fit In#
Vaccines fall into two groups: core and non-core.
Core vaccines are the ones most cats and dogs should receive.
For dogs, the global core vaccines protect against canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus, and canine parvovirus. Rabies is essential in places where it is endemic or required by law.2
For cats, the global core vaccines protect against feline panleukopenia virus, feline calicivirus, and feline herpesvirus-1. Rabies is essential in endemic or legally regulated areas. FeLV vaccination should be discussed for kittens and for adult cats with outdoor or multi-cat exposure risk; FeLV testing should be discussed before FeLV vaccination.23
Non-core vaccines are not "bad" or "extra." They are chosen by risk.
For dogs, risk may come from boarding, grooming, day care, dog parks, training classes, wildlife, standing water, ticks, or travel. For cats, risk may come from outdoor access, multi-cat housing, unknown cats, shelters, or travel. AAHA and AAHA/AAFP vaccination guidelines both stress individualized vaccine plans based on lifestyle and local disease risk.67
Two beginner mistakes are common:
- More vaccine names do not always mean better protection. Combination vaccines vary by country and product. Ask which diseases are covered.
- A verbal record is not a record. If there is no reliable proof, your veterinarian may treat the pet as not fully vaccinated or discuss antibody testing.
After vaccination, mild tiredness or soreness can happen for a day.
Call a veterinarian or emergency clinic right away for facial swelling, repeated vomiting, trouble breathing, collapse, severe itching, or seizures.
How Deworming and Parasite Control Fit In#
Parasite control has two parts: internal parasites and external parasites.
Internal parasites include roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms, and heartworms. External parasites include fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. One product does not cover everything.
Puppies and kittens need early attention. CAPC recommends anthelmintic treatment starting at 2 weeks of age and repeating every 2 weeks until regular broad-spectrum parasite control begins. If year-round broad-spectrum control cannot be maintained, CAPC lists a fallback schedule: every 2 weeks until 2 months of age, monthly until 6 months of age, and quarterly after that, with fecal diagnostics included.1
Adult plans depend on risk:
| Situation | What to discuss |
|---|---|
| Indoor-only single cat eating commercial food | Still discuss fecal testing, flea control, and internal parasite risk |
| Dog that walks outdoors daily | Usually needs year-round parasite prevention |
| Pet that hunts, eats raw food, or contacts stray animals | Higher risk, so testing and prevention may need to be more frequent |
| Home with young children, older adults, pregnant people, or immunocompromised people | Stronger hygiene and parasite prevention are important |
| Warm, humid, mosquito-heavy, or tick-heavy region | Ask specifically about heartworm, flea, and tick prevention |
Deworming is not a vaccine. A pet can be treated once and become infected again later.
CDC notes that Toxocara roundworms can spread from dogs and cats to people through contaminated feces, soil, or unwashed hands. Testing and treating pets, picking up stool, and washing hands all help reduce risk.8
Puppy Timeline#
| Age | What to plan |
|---|---|
| 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks | Deworming under a veterinary plan. Breeders, shelters, or rescues should keep records |
| 6-8 weeks | First vet exam, first core vaccine, fecal test or deworming review |
| 10-12 weeks | Next core vaccine; discuss rabies, leptospirosis, Bordetella, and other risk-based vaccines |
| 14-16 weeks | Final core vaccine dose, usually at 16 weeks or older |
| 1-2 weeks after the final core puppy vaccine | Increase public outings only after your veterinarian says it is appropriate |
| 6-7 months or around 1 year | Growth review, dental check, behavior check, and booster plan |
| Adult life | Yearly exams, legal rabies updates, risk-based vaccines, parasite prevention, and testing |
Before the vaccine series is complete, avoid dog parks, pet store play areas, unknown dogs, and high-traffic areas with lots of feces. Use clean, controlled social settings with known healthy dogs when your veterinarian agrees.
Kitten Timeline#
| Age | What to plan |
|---|---|
| 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks | Deworming under a veterinary plan. Records matter, especially in shelters and multi-cat settings |
| 6-8 weeks | First vet exam, first FVRCP/core vaccine, FeLV/FIV testing discussion |
| 10-12 weeks | Next core vaccine; discuss FeLV vaccination based on risk |
| 14-16 weeks | Final core vaccine dose, usually at 16 weeks or older |
| When local law and product labels allow | Discuss rabies vaccination, especially for outdoor cats, travel, boarding, or exposure to unknown animals |
| 6-7 months or around 1 year | Growth review, dental check, spay/neuter discussion, behavior review, and booster plan |
| Adult life | At least yearly exams. Higher-risk and senior cats need more frequent care |
Indoor cats are safer than roaming cats, but they are not risk-free. Shoes, fleas, mosquitoes, boarding, travel, and new cats can all change the risk picture.
What If the Pet Is Adult or Records Are Missing?#
Many adopted pets do not arrive as young puppies or kittens. If records are unclear, do not guess.
Good next steps:
- Bring every record you have to the clinic.
- If proof is missing, your veterinarian may treat the pet as not fully vaccinated or discuss antibody testing.
- Adult dogs often need core vaccination and rabies vaccination; risk-based vaccines depend on lifestyle.
- Adult cats often need core vaccination; FeLV testing should be discussed before FeLV vaccination.
- Parasite control can restart from the pet's current weight, health, and lifestyle.
Printable Checklist#
Before the first vet visit:
- [ ] Vaccine records are ready
- [ ] Deworming records are ready
- [ ] Fresh stool sample is ready
- [ ] Food and feeding amount are noted
- [ ] Symptoms and behavior changes are noted
- [ ] Questions are written down
Before each vaccine visit:
- [ ] Energy is normal
- [ ] Appetite is mostly normal
- [ ] No obvious vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or breathing problem
- [ ] No severe reaction to the previous vaccine
- [ ] Veterinarian confirms the pet is fit for vaccination
Long-term basics:
- [ ] A wellness exam is more than a shot visit
- [ ] Rabies records should be saved and updated as required
- [ ] Parasite products should match age, weight, species, and risk
- [ ] Fecal tests matter, even when you cannot see worms
- [ ] Do not use dog parasite products on cats unless your veterinarian says they are safe for that cat
Once these three routines are in place, pet care feels much less chaotic. You do not need to memorize every disease name. Keep records, follow the timeline, and ask early when something looks off.
References#
- Companion Animal Parasite Council. General guidelines for dogs and cats. Accessed August 1, 2026. https://capcvet.org/guidelines/general-guidelines/
- Squires RA, Crawford C, Marcondes M, Whitley N. 2024 guidelines for the vaccination of dogs and cats, compiled by the Vaccination Guidelines Group of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. J Small Anim Pract. Published online 2024. doi:10.1111/jsap.13718
- Little S, Levy J, Hartmann K, et al. 2020 AAFP feline retrovirus testing and management guidelines. J Feline Med Surg. 2020;22(1):5-30. doi:10.1177/1098612X19895940
- American Animal Hospital Association. 2019 AAHA canine life stage guidelines: Life stage checklists and diagnostic testing for each life stage. Published 2019. Accessed August 1, 2026. https://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/life-stage-checklist/
- Quimby J, Gowland S, Carney HC, DePorter T, Plummer P, Westropp J. 2021 AAHA/AAFP feline life stage guidelines. J Feline Med Surg. 2021;23(3):211-233. doi:10.1177/1098612X21993657
- Ford RB, Larson LJ, McClure KD, Schultz RD, Welborn LV, 2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines Task Force. 2022 AAHA canine vaccination guidelines. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2022;58(5):213-230. doi:10.5326/JAAHA-MS-Canine-Vaccination-Guidelines
- Stone AES, Brummet GO, Carozza EM, et al. 2020 AAHA/AAFP feline vaccination guidelines. J Feline Med Surg. 2020;22(9):813-830. doi:10.1177/1098612X20941784
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About toxocariasis. Accessed August 1, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/toxocariasis/about/index.html