Five questions to ask before your first vet visit

First vet visits are short, and they go faster than you think they will. Bring a list. We asked five clinics in three countries which questions they wish first-time owners arrived with, and the same five came back nearly every time.

1. What's normal for this breed at this age? Vets answer this differently for a Maine Coon kitten than for a senior chihuahua. Get the version specific to your animal so the rest of the appointment can be calibrated against it.

2. What vaccines are non-negotiable, and what's optional? You'll get firmer guidance if you ask the question this way than if you ask 'what shots does she need.' The latter often turns into a yes-to-everything answer.

3. What does an emergency look like, for this pet, in the next six months? You want a list you can recognise at 2 a.m. Bleeding, repeated vomiting, breathing changes — write down the specifics for your animal.

4. What's the right next visit, and why? A clear cadence is more useful than 'come back if anything changes,' which is hard to act on.

5. Who do I call when you're closed? Get the number for an after-hours clinic the vet trusts. Save it now, not later.