Congratulations on the furry new addition to your family.
Puppies are cute and sweet and sooo much fun. At All
About Pets, we want to do everything we can to help your
puppy grow into a healthy adult dog and live a long and
happy life.
Keeping Your Puppy Entertained
Puppies are naturally curious creatures who often like to
explore their surroundings by chewing on things. Although
proper training is important so your puppy learns what
he/she can and can’t chew on, you should also try to keep
items that you don’t want chewed up out of reach. Also,
keep your puppy surrounded by plenty of different chew
toys so he/she is less likely to be tempted to find things to
chew on. Remember, if you are going to be leaving your
puppy unsupervised for any amount of time, make sure
there are no toys around that can be ripped into smaller
pieces and swallowed or choked on. Kong toys are a good
example of durable chew toys that should keep your puppy
entertained for hours, especially if you hide a treat inside!
Our Commitment To Your Pet’s Health
Welcome to All About Pets! Our dedicated veterinary
health care team is committed to helping you provide the
best care for your new puppy. We understand that like
people, pets have different lifestyles and needs, and one of
our goals is to work with you to determine your pet’s
health care needs and offer you options for your veterinary
care. We will work hard to provide you with the best
information and recommendations for your pet. We want
you to feel completely comfortable discussing any aspect of
your pet’s care with us and we encourage you to ask
questions so you are confident making informed decisions
regarding your pet’s health care.
Vaccinations
To keep your new puppy happy and healthy, you will need
to make sure to get him/her vaccinated according to this
schedule. Your new puppy should begin a vaccination
schedule at about 7 weeks of age with the
distemper/parvo vaccine, which covers several diseases. A
booster vaccination should be given every 3 to 4 weeks
thereafter until the puppy reaches 12 weeks of age. When
the last distemper/parvo booster is given, the rabies
vaccination can be given as well. Your puppy will then be
protected from a variety of diseases for an entire year.
Another vaccination to consider is the Bordetella, or kennel
cough, vaccination. Kennel cough is spread very easily
between dogs, and puppies are especially likely to get it
due to their underdeveloped immune systems. So, if you
plan on boarding your puppy, having him/her groomed, or
going to an obedience class, a Bordetella vaccination
should be given. This vaccination will last for 1 year.
Puppy Food
Your puppy will be growing rapidly in the first year of
his/her life, so it is very important that he/she gets proper
nutrition. We feed and recommend Hills Science Diet®
Puppy Food for any dog that is under 1 year of age. There
are different varieties available, such as a special large
breed formula for large breed puppies, as well as a small
bites formula for small breed puppies with little mouths.
Cheaper brands of food that can be bought at grocery
stores are often low quality and made with many by-
products, making them less nutritious. The amount of food
to feed your puppy depends on the size and individual
needs. Ask Dr. Hawley to recommend a feeding regimen
for your puppy. Also, make sure that your puppy always
has access to fresh clean water.
Heartworm Disease & Preventative
Heartworm disease is a preventable, mosquito-borne
disease in dogs and cats that eventually affects multiple
organs and can even cause death if it is left untreated. The
important thing to remember is that heartworms can very
easily be prevented. A heartworm preventative is a
flavored, chewable tablet that you give to your puppy once
a month to protect against heartworm infestation.
Heartworm preventative also protects against certain
intestinal parasites that dogs & puppies commonly pick up.
Puppies are especially prone to becoming infested with
intestinal parasites due to their underdeveloped immune
systems.
Microchipping
Microchipping is a highly effective form of identification for
your puppy. A microchip is a little computer chip that is
about the size of a grain of rice, and is inserted underneath
the skin of your puppy, so it can never be lost. If your
puppy ever becomes lost and is picked up by and animal
shelter or veterinary clinic, they can scan the microchip
and notify you of your pet’s location. Although collars and
ID tags are also helpful (and still recommended even if
your puppy is microchipped), they can come off— but
microchips stay with your puppy for life. Even if your puppy
doesn't go outdoors much, microchipping is still
recommended because there is always a chance that
he/she could get loose and become lost. We suggest that
the microchip be done at the time your puppy is
spayed/neutered, because the microchip is inserted with a
relatively large needle, and if it’s done while your puppy is
under anesthesia, he/she wont feel a thing. If you decide
to microchip your puppy after he/she is already
spayed/neutered, it can still be done, but the area should
be shaved and numbed first.
Spaying and Neutering
It is highly recommended that female puppies are spayed,
and that male puppies are neutered. It helps to prevent
many different health and behavior problems later on in
life. It also helps to decrease the number of unwanted
puppies in the United States. Puppies can be spayed
around 6 months of age, and neutered at about 5 to 6
months of age. It is a very safe and inexpensive procedure.
Fleas and Ticks
Even if your puppy doesn't go outdoors that much, it is
recommended that he/she is put on a flea & tick
preventative. Not only can fleas and ticks potentially carry
many diseases, they also make your pet uncomfortable.
Flea bites can cause severe skin irritation and itching,
especially for pets with allergies. Plus, scratching can
cause secondary bacterial infections. Fleas can also lead to
tapeworm infestation, and in rare cases, anemia may
occur. Tick prevention is also very important because
different species of ticks carry different diseases, such as
Lyme Disease. Because fleas & ticks are extremely
common and can cause numerous problems, we highly
recommend a flea & tick preventative for all dogs. This
simple treatment is only necessary during warm weather
when fleas & ticks are around, and only needs to be
applied once a month.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
