By Pamela Steward · Kanine Country Club · Oct 20, 2026
Within a few days of bringing your puppy home, you should book a visit with your veterinarian. It is the start of a long relationship that keeps your Lab or Golden healthy for ten years or more. At Kanine Country Club in Sperry, Iowa, we give new families the information they need to take to that first appointment. This guide explains what usually happens and what to ask. Your vet makes the final decisions for your puppy, so treat this as a general guide only.
When to schedule the first visit
Aim for a check within the first few days after your puppy comes home. A prompt exam gives your vet a baseline, confirms your puppy is healthy and lets you start any vaccines or preventives that are due.
Call a clinic before your puppy arrives so you are not scrambling. Ask about hours, emergency coverage and whether they take new puppy patients on short notice.
What to bring
Bring any paperwork we sent home, including records of vaccines and deworming. Bring a small sample of fresh stool if your vet asks for one. Bring a list of what your puppy is eating, how much and how often, plus a list of questions.
Pack a few treats, a leash and a towel in case of accidents. Keep your puppy on your lap or in a carrier in the waiting room, since sick animals visit too.
What happens during the exam
Your vet will weigh your puppy and check eyes, ears, mouth, skin, heart, lungs, belly and joints. They will ask about appetite, energy and stool, and they may look at teeth and growth to confirm your puppy’s age.
This is a great time to ask about anything you have noticed, from sneezing to scratching. Nothing is too small to mention.
The vaccine series
Puppies usually start core vaccines at six to eight weeks, with boosters every few weeks until about sixteen weeks. Core vaccines generally protect against serious diseases such as parvovirus, distemper and adenovirus, and rabies is given at an age set by local law.
Depending on where you live and what your dog does, your vet may suggest extras such as kennel cough or Lyme. If you plan to board your dog, ask which vaccines are needed and when so you can plan ahead.
Parasite prevention
Puppies are commonly dewormed several times, because worms can pass from the mother. Your vet can also recommend monthly heartworm prevention and flea and tick control. In Iowa, ticks and mosquitoes are a real concern, so protection is usually advised through the warm months and often year-round.
Give preventives on schedule, and use only products your vet recommends for dogs. Some products made for other pets can be unsafe.
Microchips, spay and neuter, and insurance
Ask about microchipping. A chip with up-to-date contact information is the best way to bring a lost dog home. Also discuss when to spay or neuter. Timing varies by breed and size, and many vets suggest waiting longer for large breeds.
If you are considering pet insurance, look into it early. Plans often exclude conditions that show up before coverage begins.
Questions worth asking
What food and amount do you recommend? When is the next visit? What signs mean I should call you right away? Which vaccines are needed for boarding and training classes? When can my puppy meet other dogs?
Write down the answers or ask for a printed summary. In the busy first weeks, it is easy to forget details.
After the visit
Some puppies are tired or a little sore after vaccines. Give them a quiet evening and a comfortable spot to rest. Call your vet if you see swelling, vomiting, trouble breathing or a puppy who will not eat.
Keep a folder with all records. You will need them for training classes, groomers and boarding, and they save time when you travel. Set reminders for booster dates so nothing slips by in the busy first months.
Keeping your puppy safe until vaccines are done
Until the series is complete, your puppy is more vulnerable to illness. Keep them away from areas where unknown dogs go, wash your hands after visiting other animals and avoid sharing water bowls in public. Ask visitors who own dogs to change shoes if they have been at places with many dogs.
Safe socialization at home is still important. Invite healthy, vaccinated dogs over, and bring people to your puppy rather than taking your puppy to crowded places.
Signs to call the vet right away
Call promptly if your puppy has repeated vomiting or diarrhea, blood in the stool, a swollen belly, trouble breathing, a sudden loss of energy, refusal to eat or drink for a day, or a limp that does not improve. Puppies can get sick quickly and dehydrate fast.
If your puppy swallows something that is not food, or gets into a toxin such as chocolate or medication, call your vet or an animal poison hotline immediately. Keep those numbers on your refrigerator and in your phone.
Ready for a puppy?
Thinking about a Lab or Golden puppy? See our puppies, call 319-759-4210 or message us on Facebook. More answers are in our FAQ, and you can find us in Sperry.