VETERINARY CARE

What you need to know to care for your puppy.  Veterinary care , and specifically, dog health care will be a critical part of your dog's well being from the beginning.  It is important to get your puppy used to seeing the vet regularly.  You should try to make it a positive experience for him.  It should a pleasant trip and he should get plenty of praise from both you and your veterinarian.  He will be visiting frequently in the beginning and only yearly or as needed after that. The better experience he has now, the easier he will be able to handle at future appointments.  It isn't good for anyone to have a dog, big or small, that is hard to handle at the veterinarian's office.  Ever try to give a St. Bernard an enema when he has other ideas? You might be able to convince him it's acceptable, but not if he had bad experiences in the past!

One of the first things that you should do is schedule a puppy exam to ensure that your puppy is healthy and does not have any congenital problems or deformities, such as a cleft palate or hernias.  The veterinarian will look for juvenile cataracts, hernias, heart murmurs, retained testicles, problems with their bite, deformities of any kind, and evidence of malnutrition and parasites.  When the puppy is six weeks old it will need to start it's series of vaccines to begin developing immunity to the many deadly viruses it can come it contact with.  One of the first steps is to find a vet that fits your personality and your schedule.

Find A Great Veterinarian

Viruses and Vaccinations - Parvo and distemper are horrible viruses that are widespread, often fatal or permanently debilitating, and easy to prevent through a complete puppy vaccination series.  Lyme disease is becoming more of a problem in many areas, and contrary to popular belief, Rabies is still found in nearly all counties throughout the country.  Bordetella, though not deadly, is quite uncomfortable and involves a chronic long lasting cough that is aggravating to man and beast.

There is a proper way to perform puppy vaccinations.  If done incorrectly the vaccines will offer little or no effect, rendering her largely unprotected.  Puppy vaccinations should follow a particular schedule.  This is  especially important to know if you have chosen to do the vaccines yourself.  Generally though, it is most advisable to seek veterinary care in the first year of your puppy’s life.

Puppy Worms

Intestinal parasites are present in more than 98% of all puppies.  It is a safe bet and a good practice to make deworming your puppy part of his scheduled veterinary visits starting at six weeks old.  Worms cause malnutrition because they interfere with the digestive system.  They live off of what your puppy should being using for his own growth and development.  Be warned, just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

Other common findings in puppies are coccidia and giardia.  They are microscopic organisms common in puppies which can cause chronic diarrhea.  These can also be found in a fecal sample exam.  It is fairly common to find these organisms even in puppies who come from good breeders and clean environments.  If your puppy is diagnosed with these, it is not necessarily a reflection of poor conditions.  Proper veterinary care can help you avoid many problems including keeping puppy from sharing his worms with you or your children.  Spay and Neuter

If you did not purchase your puppy with the intent to champion her in the show ring, you will schedule your puppy’s spay appointment when she is no more than six months old.  You want to catch her before she comes in heat.  Research indicates that female dogs who were spayed before they went through a heat cycle had lower risk of mammary cancer in later life.  Female dogs who are not ‘fixed’ run high risk of many serious health issues including uterine, ovarian, and mammary cancers, and uterine infection called pyometra where the uterus fills with pus. All of which are often fatal in later life simply because they can not be recognized early enough.

Neutering your dog makes him by no means lazy.  But it will encourage him to be more receptive to training, less likely to mark your house and furniture with urine, and feel the need to spring from the property at any opportunity, all of which may limit his life span or at least the time he spends with you.  Male dogs also run a health risk of prostate and testicular cancer in later life if they are left in tact.

If you adopted your puppy you already saw the cages full of evidence of the need to spay and neuter your puppy.  Too many puppies go homeless and are euthanized every year.  Be responsible.  Spay and neuter your pets. 

 

A type of parasite that you will never see but is becoming more and more of a problem in most areas in the country, is the heartworm.  It is spread by mosquitos.  The larva travel through the blood stream and the worms mature and reside in the heart.  They are extremely difficult to kill and can leave permament damage to the dog's heart even if the medications are successful.  If left untreated they will kill the dog as the heart is unable to function properly.  A simple blood test should be done to make sure your puppy isn't infected before putting him on monthly preventatives.  These medications can be fatal if he is treated while he actually has a heartworm.

Probably one of the most common frustrations among dogs and their owners is fleas.  Some dogs are bothered greatly while others seem largely unaware and unperturbed.  But in any case, fleas are something to protect them against.  Fleas carry tapeworms and can cause infestations of these intestinal parasites which effect your dogs health and well being.

Fleas can cause anemia, skin disease and are the number one cause of allergies among dogs.  Fleas can live just about anywhere and do just as well inside as out.  Thanks to recent advancements in veterinary care products, they are easier to control than they once were.

Ticks are also something to avoid.  They are the vector for Lyme disease. A disease that effects the joints, causing arthritis and degeneration of the joints. There are many varieties of ticks ranging in size, shape, and color. They love brushy areas that animals frequent and drop onto the animals coat and make their way to the skin.  Their saliva has a bit of a sedative and an anticoagulant to it so the animal is not bothered by it’s presence, which allows it to stay imbedded and feed.  Ticks can also cause local infections of the skin as the dog’s body responds to the foreign body lodged under the skin.  There are also very good medications to prevent these unwelcome companions.

 

About The Author
Laura Anderson is a veterinary technician with a 15 year history as a veterinary office manager and emergency technician. She founded Puppy's Place to help new puppy owners find a compatible lifestyle with their new friends.
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