Recommendations
for Your New Puppy
1.
Puppy vaccination schedule
- Distemper/adenovirus/parainfluenza/parvovirus
(DAPPV) vaccines should be given at approximately eight, twelve, and
sixteen weeks of age.
- Parvovirus
KF-11 booster at twenty weeks of age.Rabies vaccine can be given
anytime after three months of age. This vaccine is good for one year
the first time it is given.
- Lyme
vaccination is available upon request.
- Bordatella
vaccine (kennel cough) is recommended if you will be boarding your
dog. The vaccine is most effective ten days prior to exposure, and
is good for up to six months.
- Leptospirosis
vaccine is recommended if your dog will be drinking water out of
ponds or other places where rodents have urinated. This can be
started at twelve weeks and is a series of two vaccines, two to four
weeks apart, and then annually.
2. Fecal sample
This should be collected by the first or second visit so that it can be
checked for parasite (worm) infestations. Deworming for roundworms and
hookworms is recommended at the first two visits, given the large number
of puppies with these worms, the chance of false negative fecal exams,
and the chance of accidental infection to humans, especially young
children.
3. Heartworm preventive
This should be started immediately. This medication prevents heartworm
infection from mosquito bites and also protects against intestinal
parasite infestations that puppies might pick up from the ground. Some
of the heartworm preventives also help control fleas, ticks and mites.
4. Puppy play
While playing with your puppy, you should open the mouth, look into the
ears, roll him or her over and examine the belly, look between the toes
and play with the feet. This will help make the veterinary exams easier,
and also will make your puppy less anxious if you decide to clip the
nails. We can show you proper and safe techniques for doing this.
5. Diet
Any brand name puppy food, fed three times a day until about sixteen
weeks of age, and then fed two times a day is fine. Hills, Iams, Purina
and Waltham are all top quality products and are a few examples of a
good choice of puppy food.
6. Recommended toys
These include nylabones, rope toys with the knots intact, hard
rubber toys (Kong), and gumabone toys. One should avoid toys with
removable parts which could be swallowed and cause intestinal
obstruction. String toys should be avoided as this could be swallowed
and cause damage to the intestinal tract.
7. Avoid exposure to
electric cords
Biting an electric cord can set off abnormal neurological reflexes which
can result to lung damage and respiratory failure.
8. Behavior training
Crate training is a safe method of housebreaking your puppy. It will
also keep him or her out of danger when left alone and will protect your
home and belongings from the natural instincts of chewing. Once the
puppy vaccine series has been completed, puppy training classes are
recommended, both for training and for socialization with other people
and dogs in a controlled environment.
9. Flea and tick
control
There are several products available for this purpose. Program is a
once a month flea preventive, and when combined with heartworm
preventive, is called Sentinel. Advantage is a monthly flea adulticide
liquid pour on product. Frontline Topspot is a once-a-month flea and
tick adulticide liquid pour-on product. Revolution is a once-a-month
heartworm, mite, flea and tick liquid pour-on product.
10.Spaying and
neutering
Unless you plan to breed your puppy, it is recommended that you spay or
neuter at six months of age. This eliminates the chances of your pet
developing mammary and testicular cancer, uterine or prostate
infections, and behavioral problems such as roaming, aggression, and
urine marking.
11. Oral hygiene
Once your puppy has all his or her adult teeth (at about seven
months of age), it is recommended that you brush the teeth using
toothpaste designed especially for pets.
Any questions?
Email them to me at faithkdvm@comcast.net
and I will be happy to answer them.
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