Bringing a puppy into your household is a joyous event and will be one of the best experiences of your life. But before you think about brining your four-legged friend into your humble dwelling you should think about what is needed to keep your puppy healthy. The best way to start your puppy on the road to a long, happy life is with a visit to your veterinarian.
One way to keep your puppy healthy is to make sure he/she is current on vaccinations. Usually a puppy should start receiving vaccinations at 6 to 8 weeks of age and continue receiving vaccines every 2 to 4 weeks until they are close to 20 weeks of age. * Each visit will allow the veterinarian to track the growth and progress of your puppy and give you the opportunity to ask questions about your new family member. After the puppy vaccine series is complete, the vaccines become annual (yearly) and you can start preparing for your puppy to be neutered/spayed around 6 to 14 months of age.
Another way to keep your puppy healthy is to make sure they are free of parasites. Parasites affect many organ systems and some can be transferred to you from your pet. To test for parasites that affect the gastrointestinal tract, you should bring in a fecal (stool) sample to every puppy and annual visit so we can check for the microscopic eggs, which are produced by the adults that live in the intestine. Parasites can also affect the skin such as fleas and ticks. Fleas cause severe irritation to the skin leading to infection. Ticks, when they bite, could transfer diseases such as lyme and ehrlichia, which are frequently seen in this area of the country. Heartworms, which are carried by the mosquito, are parasites that affect the cardiovascular system (heart). A simple blood test is used to test for tick diseases and heartworms.
Intestinal parasites, fleas, ticks, and heartworms can be prevented by monthly dosages of heartworm and flea/tick prevention. It is better to prevent than treat these dangerous parasites once established. Preventative therapies are usually started around 7 to 8 weeks of age. There is a common misconception that you can stop these preventatives in the winter. It is not recommended due to the fact that Delaware has mild winters in comparison to the northern portions of our country. The Delaware area simply (even at our coldest) never gets cold enough to keep the fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes at bay. There are several products to choose from, but it is best to talk with your veterinarian about which is best for your puppy.
A simple way to keep your puppy healthy is to make sure it is fed a good puppy food meant for his/her size and breed until 12 months of age. Puppy diets are formulated for a growing puppy’s needs. Once your puppy is about one year of age, you can change to a food formulated for adults.
It is recommended to start brushing your puppy’s teeth as early a possible. This should be a daily task. There are several products that can be used to help with the dental health of your puppy. Keeping the teeth clean regularly will not only keep your puppy’s breath fresh, but also delays the onset of dental disease. It is important that you choose toothpaste made just for pets; the formulation is safe for your puppy if swallowed.
Keeping a puppy healthy can be a challenge but well worth the long happy years ahead. If you have any questions about the above information or you would like more details contact one of the veterinarians at Brenford Animal Hospital. – JEC 11.7.14
* Richard B. Ford. 2005. Canine Vaccination. In SJ Ettinger, EC Feldman, eds., Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 6th ed., pp. 604-611 St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders, 2005.
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