First Trip to the Vet

The First Official Outing

Taking a new puppy to the vet is always a mix of pride and low-level panic. Even though this is Round Two for me, I still had those irrational thoughts on the drive there. Is he eating enough? Is he growing right? Zag, on the other hand, spent the entire time safely in my arms. Since he had zero protection and the waiting room is full of potentially sick animals, letting him walk on the floor was simply not an option. I carried him like a fragile package straight from the car to the exam room.

The Moment of Truth: The Scale

We started with the weigh-in. After the fiasco with the oversized collars, I knew he was small. But I didn't realize just how small until I placed him gently onto that cold metal scale. The digital number settled immediately: 2.1 kilograms. That’s it. Two kilograms of fluff, energy, and sharp teeth. It explains why the "small" collar I bought looks like a hula hoop on him. He is officially a featherweight, but he certainly walks around with heavyweight confidence. The Exam and The Needle. The vet went through the standard checklist. Eyes bright. Ears clean. Heart sounding good. Zag tolerated the poking and prodding surprisingly well, mostly because he was too busy trying to sniff the vet’s stethoscope.

Then came the part I was dreading—the vaccine.

I held him close, ready to comfort a crying puppy. I expected a yelp or at least a dramatic flinch. The vet was fast. She distracted him with a scratch behind the ear, inserted the needle, and it was over. Zag didn't even blink. He didn't make a sound. He was too focused on the treat the vet tech was holding. It turns out my 2-kilogram warrior is braver than I am when it comes to needles.

Back to Safety and The Next Date

We left with a clean bill of health, a vaccination certificate, and a very tired puppy. The adrenaline of the new environment wore off the second we got back to the car. He slept the entire way home. It was a successful first mission, but we are already on the clock. Our next visit is scheduled for three weeks from now. That means another shot, another weigh-in, and hopefully a result slightly higher than 2 kilograms. Let the growing begin.

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