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It is always a bit nerve-wrecking for cat owners to bring their kittens to the vet for the very first time. If you are bringing home a new kitten that you just adopted, it is important to have the kitten seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Before the exam starts, a nurse or a veterinarian assistant will check the kitten's weight and temperature. She may take a blood sample to check for feline leukemia and FeIV. If you have brought a fecal sample with you, she will collect it and take it to the lab to test for parasites.

When the veterinarian arrives, she will start the examination with careful checking through the entire body from the kitten's head to tail. She will swab the kitten's ears to check forear mites or ticks, then comb the coat to look for fleas. You will need to await lab results to find out if your kitten is clear of ear mites.

Then the examination will include the kittens' eyes, gums, and teeth to check for any abnormality such as clowdy eyes, pink eyes, pink/red gums, etc. The veterinarian will also listen to the kitten's palpitation to see if the kitten has any heart condition. Then she will listen to the lungs to see if they are functioning normally.

An abdominal exam will follow where the vet will begin by pressing her fingertips into the kitten's tummy and feel the organs underneath including kidneys, liver, intestines and bladder.

The vet may also examine the kitten's genitalia to make sure the gender of the kitten even though you already know what it is.

Finally the vet will run her hands down each leg to test the kittens muscles and joints to make sure its mobility is normal.

After the full body examination, the test results will be brought to you. Your kitten will need to receive a deworming tablet or liquid medication if the fecal float comes back positive. Also, if your kitten is found infested with fleas, deworming will help prevent tapeworms.

Kittens at the age of 9 to 10 weeks should receive vaccinations to prevent infections against feline calicivirus, herpesvirus and feline panleukopenia. At 12 to 14 weeks, kittens will return to the vet for a booster shot and a Rabies shot. However, different regions may have different law in terms of cat vaccinations, you should always check with your local jurisdiction to find out what vaccines are required for your kittens.

Finally if your kitten has not been spayed or neutered, your vet may recommend a day to have the surgery done.

Via: Link.