Vaccinations, parasites, and protection
Start with the protective basics. Ask what the puppy has already received from the breeder or rescue, what happens at this visit, when the remaining doses are due, and when protection is actually complete. Ask what parasite cover the puppy needs locally — worms, fleas, and in some regions ticks or lungworm risk — how each product is given, and how often, because schedules differ and missed intervals are the commonest gap. If the puppy is not yet microchipped, ask about arranging it and how your contact details get registered and updated. Write every date down before you leave; memory blurs within a day.
Food, weight, and growth
Bring the name of the current food and the amount you actually feed, including treats and chews, and ask plainly whether it suits this puppy's breed and expected adult size. Ask how much to feed now, how often meals should be split, when to move to the next life-stage food, and what healthy growth looks like for this puppy — a steady curve rather than maximum speed. Ask the vet to show you how to feel body condition at home, ribs under a light fat cover, so you can judge portions between visits. If you plan to change foods, ask how to transition gradually to avoid an upset stomach.
Behavior, training, and safe socialization
First visits are not only medical. Ask what socialization is safe before the vaccination course finishes — carried outings, visiting vaccinated dogs belonging to friends, puppy classes that require proof of first vaccination — because the early socialization window does not wait for the final vaccination. Raise anything already worrying you: biting that seems intense, panic at noises, guarding food, or sleepless nights. Ask about toilet training expectations, crate use, and when lead walking can begin in earnest. Vets see thousands of puppies and can often reassure you that a maddening behavior is a normal phase — or flag one worth tackling early with a trainer.
Neutering, insurance, and the longer view
Ask when neutering would be appropriate for this puppy's sex, breed, and size — timing advice varies, particularly for large breeds — and what the operation involves when the time comes. Ask whether the practice recommends insurance and what level of cover owners of this breed typically find worthwhile, since vets cannot sell policies but do see which costs surprise owners. Ask about breed-specific conditions worth knowing about, what screening or checks happen at future visits, and how the practice handles dental care, weight checks, and booster reminders as the puppy grows up.
Emergencies and how this practice works
Finish with the questions you will be grateful for at midnight: which symptoms mean call immediately rather than wait until morning — breathing difficulty, repeated vomiting, collapse, a swollen face, suspected poisoning — what number to call out of hours, and where emergency care is provided if it is not at this building. Ask how to register those details in your phone before you leave the car park. And if you want help organizing the list itself before the appointment, KinsLe's Kimmy can be asked to help you gather questions by topic — food, protection, behavior, emergencies — so nothing gets forgotten in the room, and the answers can sit alongside your puppy's profile afterward.