A Guided Path for Your Pet's Very First Year
At O’Connor Veterinary Clinic, we treat every new puppy or kitten like family from the very first hello — and the First Steps Program is how we make sure nothing about their early care gets missed. It’s a veterinarian-designed path through your pet’s most important developmental months, so you always know what’s coming next.
The program includes four planned visits, your pet’s spay or neuter procedure, and a New Patient Welcome Kit with a printed visit schedule, feeding tips, and everything else our New Patient Center recommends for first-time pet parents. Exact timing may be adjusted slightly to fit your pet’s individual needs.
Locally owned and proudly Canadian, our East York team stays with you through every step — from that very first appointment to the day of their spay or neuter and every checkup after.
The First Steps Visit Schedule
Visit 1
Full physical exam · first vaccines if due · deworming if needed · nutrition & feeding guidance · New Patient Welcome Kit
Visit 2
Physical exam · vaccine booster · parasite prevention review · behaviour and household-adjustment guidance
Visit 3
Physical exam · final core vaccine booster · flea, tick & heartworm prevention plan · early dental check
Visit 4
Physical exam · growth and development check · weight & nutrition review · spay/neuter planning discussion
Spay / Neuter
Pre-surgical exam · pre-anesthetic bloodwork · microchip · procedure with continuous monitoring
Why East York Families Choose First Steps
- A clear, veterinarian-built plan instead of tracking appointments on your own
- In-house diagnostics mean fast, same-visit answers at every stage of the plan
- Open 12 PM to midnight, six days a week, so evening visits fit real schedules
- Personalized guidance on nutrition and behaviour built into every visit, not just medical care
- Flexible payment support through our Trupanion and Petcard (iFinance) partnerships
How First Steps Works
Enrolling takes minutes. Once you’re in, we’ll help pre-book all four visits along with your pet’s spay/neuter appointment, so the whole year is already scheduled.
- No enrollment fee
- Nothing to pay upfront
- No long-term contract
You’re billed for each visit individually, the same way as any regular appointment — enrolling just keeps everything mapped out and on schedule for you.
Questions New Pet Parents Ask
Do I need to pay everything up front to enroll?
No — enrollment itself is free. You pay per visit, just like any standard appointment.
What if we need to reschedule a visit?
No problem — give us a call and we’ll find a new time. All vaccine visits should be finished before we book the spay/neuter procedure.
Our vet recommended spay/neuter later than 18 months — are we still eligible?
Yes. The program follows your veterinarian’s specific recommendation for your pet rather than a strict age cutoff.
Is there a cost just to sign up?
No cost at all — no enrollment fee, no contract, nothing paid upfront.
We had our pet's first visit at a different clinic — can we still join?
In most cases, yes. Bring along any existing records and our team will build your remaining schedule from there.
I'm an existing O'Connor client — can my new puppy or kitten join?
Of course. First Steps is open to new and existing clients alike.
Why does my pet need several rounds of vaccines rather than one?
A young pet’s immune system needs time to build lasting protection, so vaccines are spaced a few weeks apart rather than given all at once.
Does each visit have to happen on the exact week shown?
Not exactly — the ages listed are a helpful guide. Some flexibility is fine, and we’ll flag it if precise timing matters for a specific vaccine.
Let's Get Your New Pet Started
Our East York team is ready to walk you through your puppy or kitten’s first year, one visit at a time.
- (416) 755-8387
- petcare@oconnorveterinaryclinic.ca
- 1551 O'Connor Dr, East York, ON M4B 2V7