Puppy Year One / Your puppy’s first vet visit: checklist and questions

Your puppy’s first vet visit: checklist and questions

Quick answerBring any papers from the breeder or shelter, a stool sample if asked, your questions, and your puppy in a carrier or on a leash. The first visit sets the vaccine and deworming plan.

Take your notes with youPawLine keeps your puppy’s profile, weight, notes and medication reminders together.Raise a happy puppy with every note in one place. Free to download. Try it free, no payment info needed, then decide after the trial.What is PawLine? An AI-powered pet health app whose answers draw on published veterinary research, including sources like PubMed. Ask health questions any hour, get emergency triage and first-aid steps, set medication reminders, keep a profile and daily notes for each pet and email them to your vet, and find nearby vets. Try it free for 30 days with no payment info needed; after the trial, continued access is an in-app purchase (weekly or yearly). Guidance only, not a diagnosis.

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Published Oct 19, 2026 · Updated Oct 19, 2026 · By the Editorial team. General education, not veterinary advice and not yet individually reviewed by a licensed veterinarian. About and sources

Bring

Breeder or shelter records, including dates of vaccines and dewormer
The food your puppy eats now (name and amount)
A fresh stool sample if the clinic asked
A list of questions
Treats, and a towel for the exam table

Take your notes with you

PawLine keeps your puppy’s profile, weight, notes and medication reminders together.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Daily health notesWrite down symptoms and observations, then share the records with your vet by email.
Complete pet profilesBreed, age, weight, health conditions and photos for each pet, so advice fits that animal.
Medication remindersSet medication schedules for every pet, get push notifications, and track dosing history.

Raise a happy puppy with every note in one place. Free to download. Try it free, no payment info needed, then decide after the trial.

What is PawLine? An AI-powered pet health app whose answers draw on published veterinary research, including sources like PubMed: instant health answers, emergency triage with first-aid steps, medication reminders, pet profiles and daily notes you can email to your vet, and nearby vet search. The 30-day free trial needs no payment info; after it, continued access is an in-app purchase, weekly or yearly (see the store listing). PawLine gives guidance and information, not a diagnosis. Always consult a licensed veterinarian for medical decisions.

Ask

What is the vaccine plan, and which noncore vaccines does my puppy need where we live and play?
When should we deworm and start parasite prevention?
Which tick prevention is safe for my puppy? (CDC says to ask a vet about tick products, and to talk about Lyme risk in your area.)
Can we start puppy class now? (The AVSAB says classes can start at 7 to 8 weeks with the first vaccine set at least 7 days before.)
When should we plan spay or neuter?
What should make me call you right away?

Raise a happy puppy with every note in one place. Get PawLine on the App Store · Get it on Google Play

Afterward

Write down what the vet said while you remember. A log of weight, doses and instructions saves you from searching later.

Your puppy’s first year, organized

Create a profile, track weight and notes, set medication reminders and ask questions any hour of the day.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Complete pet profilesBreed, age, weight, health conditions and photos for each pet, so advice fits that animal.
Instant health answersAsk about a symptom, diet or behavior question and get a research-backed answer, day or night.
Daily health notesWrite down symptoms and observations, then share the records with your vet by email.
Medication remindersSet medication schedules for every pet, get push notifications, and track dosing history.
Emergency triageHelps you judge whether your pet needs urgent veterinary care, with step-by-step first aid while you get to the vet.
Nearby vets and pet placesFind vet clinics, dog parks, groomers and pet shops, and save favorites.
Birthday remindersA reminder before each birthday with breed facts.
Many speciesDogs, cats, birds, rabbits, reptiles, small pets, and livestock such as horses, goats, sheep, cows and chickens.

Raise a happy puppy with every note in one place. Free to download. Try it free, no payment info needed, then decide after the trial.

Sources

Merck Veterinary Manual: Puppy Care (dog owners) https://www.merckvetmanual.com/dog-owners/routine-care-of-dogs/puppy-care
AVSAB Position Statement on Puppy Socialization https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Puppy-Socialization-Position-Statement-FINAL.pdf
CDC: Preventing ticks on pets https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/prevention/preventing-ticks-on-pets.html
AAHA 2022 Canine Vaccination Guidelines (updated 2024) https://www.aaha.org/resources/2022-aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/

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Puppy socialization passport: a checklist of first experiencesA printable checklist of people, surfaces, sounds, handling, places and animals to meet in the puppy window, going at your puppy’s pace.Puppy vaccine schedule: what AAHA recommendsAAHA recommends at least 3 doses of the combination vaccine between 6 and 16 weeks, 2 to 4 weeks apart, plus rabies and leptospirosis. Your vet sets the schedule.Puppy socialization before vaccines are finishedThe AVSAB says the first three months are the primary socialization window and classes can start at 7 to 8 weeks. How to do it safely.Spay and neuter timing for puppiesAAHA’s 2019 canine life stage guidelines suggest different timing for small and large breeds. What the table says, and why your vet decides.